Phantom of My Heart
by Supa Artemis and Supa Cheyenne
Summary: Young Sabine and her friend Mai are living their dreams, singing and dancing in the famous Opera Populaire. But what happens when both the infamous Joey Wheeler and the mysterious Opera Ghost take an interest in Sabine? YYxOC one-sided JoeyxOC By Cheyenne
1. Prologue

Cheyenne: Well well! Alrighty then. I promised you a Phantom of the Opera/Yu-Gi-Oh! crossover, and here it is! I am VERY sorry for all the delays, and this story may be a bit… slower, since I am still working out a few of the bugs. It's not going to follow the original Phantom of the Opera plotline (For the record: I hate Raoul. Christine should have ended up with the Phantom!) which is why I have bugs to work out ^^ I'm debating over something that would be crucial to the plot, should I decide to add it in (it would change the whole story). But, since I promised to have this out like, 3 days ago, I've decided to write up a prologue ^^

Yami, would you mind?

Yami: Disclaimer. Cheyenne does not own (or claim ownership) to both Yu-Gi-Oh! or The Phantom of the Opera.

Cheyenne: Thank you. And I'll still deciding on my main females name. But it's fine, because I MIGHT be writing this story from 1st person (I'm still deciding on that, so… sorry for more delays D=). I think her name'll be Sabine ^^

Yami: Cheyenne wants you all to know that she has never really started and finished a whole story from first person, and that it will switch views from the main female to the Phantom. She'll indicate when it does this. She also says flamers will be beaten with THE stick of DOOM.

*Whispering* THE stick of DOOM? What are you, 3?

Cheyenne: Sometimes I think my parents wonder…

Yami: …Alright then.

Cheyenne: Yep! Anyways, presenting the prologue to Phantom of My Heart!

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You walk in the doorway, making sure to close the door itself softly behind you. Taking a few steps forward, you find yourself in the center of a grand foyer.

In front of you is a set of double stair cases, one curving to the right, the other to the left. At the top (and in between) the two staircases is a small balcony, with what looks like a grand hallway behind it. You gasp, and your hand flies to your mouth. This is beautiful! Golden-polished brass shines on the rails of the white marble staircase, and the walls and floors match this well. Two vases are places near the end of each staircase, on the outside.

You look around again, feeling a sudden rush of warmth.

"H-hello?" You call, feeling rather nervous and plain compared to the grandeur of this place.

"Why hello!" You turn to your left and see a woman, maybe in her early thirties. She is still very beautiful, with wavy chestnut brown hair that falls just above the middle of her back. Her eyes are a clear, icy sapphire blue, and her skin is pale. But her expression is warm and welcoming, as she waves at you to join her in the living room.

"Please, sit!" She smiles. "Not doubt you have many questions?" She arches her right brow, as she bends over slightly to pour herself a cup of tea.

You shift your notepads under your arm, and are about to open your mouth to ask something when you hear a melody somewhere in the distance. It was obviously sung by a male with a rich baritone voice. You almost feel like melting; it is that beautiful. The woman looks at you, clearly amused. She smiles.

"Yes, he has that effect on people. Even after over ten years…" she shakes her head, still smiling.

"Is that-?" You gasp. "But I thought-"

"Many people think that," the woman says. "But just because someone thinks it, doesn't mean it's true. And yes, that is him; the phantom of my heart."

Your eyes feel a little misty, and you smile brightly. "I was wondering…"

"What my side of the story is? What his side is? Sit back dear and I shall tell you. But you must not repeat this story to anyone. I am only telling you this because you have gone through a lot of trouble to find me." The woman leans back in the couch she had been sitting on, and you sit awkwardly on an elaborate armchair.

"I won't bite you, child. Please, relax!" The woman laughs. You grin sheepishly, and sink into the soft cushions on your seat. A fire burns in the fireplace beside you, and the woman (who is sitting across from you) smiles again.

"It all began almost eleven years ago. I had just turned twenty, and I had decided to do something with my life. Packing my things, I headed out with my friend Mai to join her mother, Madame Giry, in the Opera Populaire…"

((AN: Don't worry, the whole story won't be written like this ^^))


	2. Chapter 1: Angel of Music

Cheyenne: Weee! Here we are, Chapter One! Yami?

Yami: Disclaimer, Cheyenne does not own (or claim ownership to) Yu-Gi-Oh! or Phantom of the Opera.

Cheyenne: And now onward!

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//Sabine//

"Lift those arms, come on girls!" Sabine looked up as the dance instructor, Madame Giry, walked through the ranks of dancing/chorus girls, who were practicing their steps for the upcoming performance of an opera.

"Mothers!" Sabine heard her friend, Mai, mutter behind her with a giggle. Sabine gave a small laugh, to show she had heard.

"They're really nice sometimes, but then they go into drill sergeant mode!" Mai continued with a snicker. Sabine smiled, but said nothing as Madame Giry had approached them.

"Mai! No talking," the dance instructor said, though Sabine could detect amusement in her eyes. Sabine couldn't help but laugh, and soon all the others girl were laughing, too.

Sabine was just happy. Her parents had tried to force her into a marriage she did not want, and as an act of rebellion, she had ran to Mai's for refuge. Shortly after, however, her parents had died when they had suddenly taken ill. Sabine had visited them in those short hours, and they had released her from the engagement. They had died peacefully, and Sabine had felt horrible. After that, she had truly decided to do something useful with her life. Something she had wanted to do since she was a little girl. Sing at the Opera Populaire. Sabine had resided here, dancing and singing in the chorus for a little less than two months.

"Sabine?" She heard Mai whisper, and Sabine lifted a finger on the bar she was holding to show she had heard.

"Sabine!" Mai called again to her friend, causing Sabine to look over her shoulder with an annoyed expression.

"Wha-"

"It's time to go!" Mai said with amusement. "Thinking again, were you?"

"Mayyybe," Sabine said, looking down in embarrassment as her cheeks flushed.

Mai gave a short laugh, but her smile was kind. Her eyes turned serious, though, as she said: "Have you heard about the new rumor?"

"Rumor?" Truth be told, Sabine had been so preoccupied with the oncoming production of _Hannibal_, that she hadn't really been paying much attention to anything lately.

"Yes!" Mai sighed, rolling her eyes in a teasing form of exasperation. "Really, Sabine, are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"Of course!" Sabine smiled in a reassuring comportment ((AN: comportment=manner)), nodding her head.

"Well, I hear the current manager of the Opera Populaire, Mr. Otogi, is retiring! And soon!"

Sabine's icy sapphire blue eyes widened as her blonde friend relayed this information. "Wow… I wonder why?"

"Beats me, but-" Mai covered her ears briefly as the wails of the lead soprano, Anzu, who was practicing her scales, hit her ears. "My guess is that it has something to do with stress... and a certain banshee." Both girls engaged in a fit of giggles before Mai tucked a piece of long golden hair behind her ears, saying: "I have to go help my mother with some stuff. She'll be awful mad if I don't!"

"Have fun!" Sabine said with a desultory wave, watching her friend go. Soon the whole stage was deserted, and Sabine began making her way back to where her own quarters were. Stepping behind the stage, she made her way to the narrow, wooden spiral staircase. Ascending it quickly, she then proceeded to move down a somewhat constricted hallway until she got to her own room. Stepping in, Sabine closed the door quickly behind her, and walked over to her bed. Sitting down, she didn't even bother taking off her ballet stuff before drifting off into a blissful sleep, but not before hearing a soothing voice sing out to her.

"_Angel…"_

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//Yami//

Save for the creaking of the opera house itself, no sound could be heard. In fact, the opera house seemed almost too quiet.

This didn't bother Yami, though. In fact, he had grown accustomed to it over the years. This was the time when he could roam freely, not having to watch his back every three seconds for someone who might spot him. He, too, had heard the rumor of Mr. Otogi's evident retirement. Of course, he knew Anzu was probably at least one third of the problem. That girl had issues, real issues. She seemed to be obsessed with his very existence, every time something went wrong she'd point in some random direction and declare: "It's the Phantom!" Couldn't she just accept that some things actually WERE accidents? It didn't help that her singing sounded like someone tromping on a cat. Why did Mr. Otogi even keep her? Oh yeah. Because she was the only one who could reach those high notes? That and the fact that she seems to have an obsession with threatening people ought to do it. Yami sighed. He was wearing a pair of black pants, black boots that went up to just below his knees, and a black cloak. He also wore a black mask, which covered the top half of his face, eyes and nose included. His bangs were like blonde lightning, settling around his face in a way that made him look striking. Sexy, some would even say. The rest of his black hair spiked upwards, and was tipped with crimson. Streaks of blonde ran up into the black parts of his hair, making him look even more attractive. The bane of his existence was his eyes, which were colored crimson. People thought he was a demon from hell, and he had been forced into hiding because of it. Still, Yami had made the most of his situation. Sometimes he poked fun at the management, but most of the time he kept out of their business. He was paid a monthly salary of about twenty thousand dollars a year, which helped him keep himself financed, and ensured that he wouldn't mess around with things… that much. Hey, a guy had to have fun sometimes, even if said guy was classified as both "Phantom of the Opera" and "Opera Ghost".

"Hey, Yami!" The Phantom turned around to see a youth will long, white hair, who was holding a candle. "Bakura and Marik are looking for you!"

"What do those two psychopaths want?" Yami asked. Ryou gave a short chuckle.

"They're wondering why you're so late! A bunch of the cast members are getting together for a small party. Or at least, Bakura and Marik thought it would be fun to host a party, and invite the whole cast." Yami groaned as Ryou said this.

"You know I can't go," The Opera Ghost snapped.

"'Course you can! Bakura and Marik thought of that, too! Everybody will be wearing a mask, sort of like-"

"A masquerade?" Yami asked with amusement sparkling in his crimson eyes.

"Yes!"

"You already know there's a masquerade scheduled!"

"Well, yes, but this is different. More like a half-masquerade. Only requirement is that you wear a mask! No costume is needed, none at all! And guess what? Bakura and Marik even went as far as to invite the new chorus girl. Sabine I think her name was…" Ryou's brown-almost-black eyes sparkled with excitement as he spoke, which made him oblivious to the fact that Yami had frozen in place, doing a stunning impression of a stone column.

"Well… That's great, I suppose," Yami shrugged as he tried to act nonchalant.

"I know, right? Mai is coming, too, and so is Malik!"

"That's hardly surprising. If Marik's there, Malik is bound to be somewhere nearby," Yami said with a smirk.

"They ARE married."

"Speaking of marriage, where's Bakura?"

"Oh…" Ryou blushed, and shrugged. "He's around."

"Define around?"

"I don't know, just around." Yami smirked even more at that, but he shrugged. One of his black-gloved hands reached out to take hold of one of the doorknobs, twisting it until he heard a click meaning the door could now be opened. Ryou, Malik, and their husbands the ever-so-troublesome-yet-somehow-loveable Bakura and Marik, were the only people who knew of his existence. Well, that was not entirely true. Everyone who worked here knew of his existence, but only Ryou and the others actually knew who he was, and where he resided most of the time. In a way, he was thankful to have at least some people to talk to… besides Sabine. But of course, she had no idea who she was talking to. Not that he had told her; of course, for he knew she might tell Mai without realizing the danger she could put him in. Therefore, he settled for listening to her sing, and teaching her, as he had been doing for the past two months. Despite Mai's constant friendship, Yami had stumbled upon Sabine crying softly in her room a couple of times during her first weeks here. He couldn't stand seeing her so upset, so he had taken to singing her gently to sleep each night afterwards. He was known simply to her as 'Angel', he knew.

He almost preferred it that way.

"Ryou! Ryou, come quick!" Yami looked up as Malik raced down the hallway, his sandy blonde hair ruffling as he moved. His light lavender eyes were sparkling in amusement, but you could tell he was distraught.

"What is it?" Ryou asked, turning towards Malik.

"I just got word that Anzu heard about the party!" The sandy-haired male responded. Yami uttered a small curse. He leaned up against the wall, crossing one of his legs over his ankle in a relaxed-looking fashion, though he was obviously anything but.

"That crazy-?" Ryou breathed in deeply, and Yami found himself chuckling. He knew the young albino didn't like swearing if he didn't have to, as he was usually the calmer and collected one out of them all. Malik had a tendency to be unpredictable at times, and Marik and Bakura could be just downright insane.

"Bitch?" A new voice offered, and Yami looked over at the new arrival with a disinterested look.

"Bakura, how nice of you to join us!" Yami clapped his gloved hands together derisively.

"I aim to please, Pharaoh!" Bakura said with a grin as he walked over to Ryou and gave the startled other a kiss.

Yami tilted his head to the side, and crossed his arms. Since he had Egyptian ancestry, his friends had taken to calling him Pharaoh. "You're hilarious," The Opera Ghost said dryly.

"Don't I know it?" Bakura smirked as he released the other albino. Yami smiled. Bakura and Ryou could pass as brothers; save for the fact that Bakura had sharper features, and stood taller with wilder hair.

"Bakura knows something? That's new!" Yami turned his head to see Marik standing in the hallway holding a candle. The flame flickered, and you could see his point, untamed sandy hair. He and Malik could also pass for brothers.

"Be nice, Marik!" Malik told his partner with a slight pout.

"Yeah, right. Marik being nice is like saying Anzu's a good singer."

"You mean she isn't?" Ryou said with fake shock.

"You're right, that was mean of me." Yami snickered.

"Quite," Malik said with a dignified sniff, though he was obviously teasing. He grabbed the candle from Marik and held it up to his face in a dramatic fashion. The light from the candle lit up parts of his face, making him look spooky and mysterious. "Once upon a time, there was…"

"A slightly depressed man living under an opera house!" Bakura called out, earning him a scorching gaze from Yami.

"Okay. Anyways-"

"One day he found that the crazed lead soprano was obsessed with him!" Marik suggested.

"Quite!" Malik smirked. "Anyways-" _Crash!_

"What the hell was that?" Marik said, frowning. He started moving towards the sound, only stopping when Malik ran to catch up with him, holding the candle. Ryou held his own candle tightly, and Bakura moved behind him in a protective manner as he gently nudged the other to move forward. Yami frowned. He would wait here, slightly behind Bakura and Ryou. It could just be a prop falling, but if it wasn't…

"Oh, god! I'm _so_ sorry!" Yami froze as a new voice–obviously female-rang through the dark hallways.

"Sabine?" Yami heard Malik ask, but the young man sounded relieved that it wasn't someone else.

"Hello, Malik… Umm… Marik?" Yami swore he could see Marik laughing inwardly to himself.

"What are you doing down here, Sabine?" Ryou asked gently. Yami ducked back into the shadows so he had a clear view of the others, but they could not see him.

"I-I slept for a bit, and then woke up and I couldn't sleep again. I was getting up to go find Mai, when I heard voices…" Yami could see Sabine clearly now. Her wavy dark chestnut hair flowed around her shoulders, and she clutched the gold-plated handle of a candle holder, from which a white candle glowed in the dark. She grasped a faded woven shawl around her shoulders, which was a dark pink-white color. Her nightgown was plain, merely a white shift with some frills around the wrists. It fell just above her feet.

"We're sorry to have startled you, Sabine," Ryou said with a smile, before elbowing Bakura in the ribs until the larger albino also apologized.

"Yeah. Marik and Bakura are really loud when they're exited about something," Malik added with a roll of his lavender eyes.

"Oh!" Sabine smiled, and Yami watched in slight awe as it lit up her whole face.

"You exited for the party?" Marik asked.

"You mean the half-masquerade?" Sabine inquired. "Yes, thank you for inviting me. Though it's a pity Anzu found out about it…"

"Check it out!" Bakura put an arm around Ryou and squeezed once before letting go, walking over to Sabine and placing a hand on her shoulder. "She even thinks like us!"

"Is that a compliment?" Sabine asked.

"It depends how you take it," Malik said with a laugh.

"Alrighty then!" Sabine smiled again. Her icy sapphire eyes were sparkling. "I suppose I'd better take it as a compliment."

"Damn right!" Marik smirked.

"In the presence of a lady," Malik said as he reached up and gently swatted the back of Marik's head.

"No, it's alright." Sabine shrugged as she said this. "I've heard a lot of the male cast members cursing a lot when they think I'm not around."

_Beautiful,_ Yami thought to himself. It was really the only word he could think of that would accurately summarize Sabine.

"You must be tired," Malik said suddenly.

"I'm sorry for startling you all…" Sabine apologized again.

"No, we shouldn't have been so loud. Hear that, Bakura?" Ryou eyed his husband, who merely shrugged.

"Bye," Sabine called as she turned around, walking back down the hallway, unaware of Yami watching her as the flickering candle light finally disappeared around a corner.

"That was close, hey Yami?" Bakura said with an evil smirk.

"Shut up!" Yami growled, stepping out of the shadows. His cloak billowed around his feet, and he scowled at the other man, though the only way you could tell was because of his mouth. His hands crossed over his chest again, and Malik stepped forward.

"We should all head off now," the prop-master said.

"Yeah. Malik has me on a tight schedule for the props." Marik rolled his own lavender eyes as he said that.

"I see," Bakura said with a smirk.

"And you! You need to help me with the orchestra!" Ryou pointed at Bakura, with his other hand on his hip. Bakura smirked, but he nodded.

"But first…" The albino said huskily before pulling the young boy into a tight embrace, and kissing him deeply… again. Yami rolled his eyes and looked away only to see Marik and Malik doing the same thing.

"Get a room!" The Phantom said with an angry wave of his hands.

"We intend to!" Bakura laughed, before both he and Marik dragged their others away, leaving Yami alone in the hallway. Yami smiled. He didn't feel deserted, not one bit. This just left him the opportunity to go do something else. Slipping away, the young man walked down the corridors, blending in with the light as he disappeared from each and every view.

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==The Next Day==

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//Sabine//

Sabine drowsily opened her eyes as a light spilled onto her from the direction to the doorway.

"Sab! Sabby! Wake up! Sabine!" Mai rushed in, shaking her friend until the girl sat up, rubbing the remaining sleep from her eyes.

"Mmrf…Whadda you want?" Sabine said, blinking rapidly until she felt awake enough to pay attention to what Mai was probably going to tell her in a rush.

"We've just gotten word; the new managers are coming today! They're brothers, Mr.'s. Seto and Mokuba Kaiba. Their new patron will also be attending. Hurry up and get ready, or my mom'll have your hide!" Mai finished as she giggled and tossed Sabine the customary dancers' outfits for _Hannibal_.

"Fine, fine!" Sabine laughed as she shifted so her feet we hanging over the bed, touching the wooden floor. "But you need to get out so I can ready myself!" Sabine stood up, and pointed to the door with a smirk.

"Alright!" Mai said rushing out into the hallway as Sabine closed the door behind her. Sighing, Sabine then made her way back over to her vanity table stool, and sat down. As she changed her attire, her mind raced over the events of last night.

_**Flashback**_

Sabine opened her eyes, only to be met with the pitch blackness of night. Shifting on her bed, she rolled onto her left side, which faced the wall of her room. Closing her eyes again, the chorus girl attempted to be swayed back to sleep, but found she could not.

"Angel?" She whispered into the black, sitting up, but was met with only silence. She was oddly disappointed, realizing how much her angel's visits had meant to her. She lay back down onto her bed and tried to sleep again.

Sabine didn't know how long she had been lying there; only that it had been at least thirty minutes. She knew she wasn't likely to get back to sleep at this point in time. Letting her legs dangle over the edge of the bed, she felt her feet meet the cold wooden floors of the Opera Populaire.

_Maybe Mai can help me…_ Sabine knew she shouldn't wake her friend in the night like this, but she couldn't think of anything else. Standing up, she moved towards her vanity table and grabbed a golden candle holder, which had a white candle in it. Striking up a match, Sabine lit the candle before shaking the match itself so it would extinguish. She moved towards the oak door to her room and pushed it open, wincing as it squeaked. Sabine suddenly stopped, and moved back to her bed. An old, faded, dark pink-white shawl lay there, and she quickly wrapped it around her shoulders. It was autumn, after all. Holding the candle in her left hand, and clutching the shawl around her shoulders with her right, Sabine moved down the dark hallways. She was approaching Mai's room, when voices reached her ears.

"--Marik being nice is like saying Anzu's a good singer." Sabine heard one voice say, and she noted that it was a deep, rich baritone. It almost sounded… familiar… and very enthralling.

"You mean she isn't?" Another voice said.

"You're right, that was mean of me." The first voice replied.

"Quite. Once upon a time, there was…" Sabine shook her head as a third voice sounded. They seemed to be coming from below her! She knew there should be a staircase around here somewhere, and she made it her goal to find it. Arriving at said staircase, Sabine couldn't help but feel nervous. What if these people were burglars, thieves, or fugitives? Either way, they could be dangerous… Sabine shook her head. No, she knew she had heard these voices before, she just couldn't place it. Hoping that her shawl would stay in place, Sabine grasped the railing of the spiral staircase with her hand and gingerly made her way down the narrow flight of steps.

"--crazed lead soprano was obsessed with him!" A fourth voice laughed.

"Quite!" The third voice from before stated, and Sabine could tell whoever it was, was smirking. "Anyways-"

_Crash! _Sabine leapt back as she walked into one of the props for the opera they were going to perform. _Oh for-!_ Sabine thought to herself in frustration.

"What the hell was that?" Sabine heard the fourth voice say, and the girl closed her eyes. She would have to reveal herself, she knew.

"Oh, god! I'm _so_ sorry!" Sabine called out, before they could come after her.

"Sabine?" Sabine heard the third man call out, and she sagged in relief as the flame from her candle allowed her to see the faint outline of Malik, the prop master. He must have been doing some late night work… and she knew that Marik was probably with him.

"Hello, Malik… Umm… Marik?" Sabine found herself asking tentatively.

"What are you doing down here, Sabine?" Sabine turned slightly until she saw the second voice.

_Ryou!_ She thought in belief. "I-I slept for a bit, and then woke up and I couldn't sleep again. I was getting up to go find Mai when I heard voices…" Sabine was clutching her shawl again, holding the candle up a little bit more as she answered.

"We're sorry to have startled you, Sabine," The young orchestra maestro said, and Sabine watched as he elbowed the fourth figure, Bakura, in the ribs until the other man apologized, too.

"Yeah. Marik and Bakura are really loud when they're exited about something," Malik added as he rolled his lavender eyes. Sabine couldn't help but smile. "Oh!"

"You exited for the party?" Marik asked suddenly.

"You mean the half-masquerade?" Sabine queried. "Yes, thank you for inviting me. Though it's a pity Anzu found out about it…" She trailed off. She didn't like the lead soprano, in fact she found her insufferable. She wished she could take the words back, because there was a chance that these four men - wait, four? Sabine peered around the area. What happened to that other voice?-might like Anzu well enough to tell her what Sabine had just said, and Anzu was not known for being merciful to those she did not like.

"Check it out!" Sabine watched as Bakura put an arm around Ryou and squeezed once before letting go, walking over to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "She even thinks like us!"

"Is that a compliment?" Sabine asked carefully, not quite knowing.

"It depends how you take it," Malik laughed, making Sabine smile again.

"Alrighty then!" Sabine's icy sapphire eyes were sparkling. "I suppose I'd better take it as a compliment."

"Damn right!" Marik smirked, slapping a hand on his knee.

"In the presence of a lady," Malik said as he reached up and gently swatted the back of Marik's head, causing Sabine to laugh, and then shrug.

"No, it's alright," she said. "I've heard a lot of the male cast members cursing a lot when they think I'm not around." Sabine yawned once as she said this, feeling drowsiness creeping back into her body.

"You must be tired," Malik said suddenly, causing Sabine's pale cheeks to color slightly. Had she been that obvious?

"I'm sorry for startling you all…" Sabine apologized again, as she stepped back a couple times and made to return to her room.

"No, we shouldn't have been so loud. Hear that, Bakura?" Ryou eyed his husband, who merely shrugged. Sabine could see him smirk, but she merely waved once and said: "Bye!" Before she turned around and walked down the hallway, turning the corner until she couldn't see them anymore. All the while, she was wondering where that fifth voice went. She knew she hadn't imagined it…

This thought haunted Sabine until she came up to her room. She doused the candle and flopped down onto her bed, waiting for sleep to come again. Though she was insanely tired, she found she still couldn't sleep.

"_Angel…"_

Sabine couldn't help but gasp as the voice she had come to expect for the past few weeks rang out.

"_Angel of Music_," she whispered, giving a melody to her words as she drifted off to the sound of her sweet Angel's voice.

_**End Flashback**_

"Sabine!" Mai knocked impatiently on the door, and Sabine ran over to open it.

"Sorry!" The girl said to her blonde friend, who merely smiled and grabbed her arm, whisking her down the hallway.

"We're going to be late," Mai grumbled good-naturedly as she dragged her friend down hallways and staircases.

"You're going to rip my arm off," Sabine laughed, but she sounded slightly distracted. For her mind was off task. She kept thinking about the identity of both the one voice from last night, and about her angel.

"Sabine!" Mai hissed as they approached a box containing a bunch of powdered white-stuff, which were for their shoes. Mai stepped in it, twirling once before stepping out and letting Sabine follow her suite.

"Right!" Sabine said with a smile, before they rushed to where the final practice for Hannibal was going on. Today would be their last practice, for it was later that night that they would be performing this very opera. Taking a deep breath, Sabine tried to push all other thoughts from her mind as she and the other dancers stepped onto the stage at their cue, unaware of the two new people watching them.

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Cheyenne: I hope you guys liked it! The ending was weaker than I wanted, but I couldn't really think of anything else. I also apologize for the long wait!! I am SO sorry! Again, I hope you enjoyed it!


	3. Chapter 2: Strange Happenings

Cheyenne: Wee! Chapter 2! I would like to thank all my reviewers, and I would like to extend a special thank-you to Auranna, since, even though she is not a yaoi fan, she is still willing to give my fic. a shot! Also, I would like to thank Natoya for constantly supporting me, and Sunrise Phoenix for her comment =D Thank you all!!!!!!

Yugi: Because for some reason I'm here…?

Cheyenne: You're so cute, tho'! I could not resist ^^

Yugi: *Grins brightly*

Cheyenne: *Giggles*

Yugi: Disclaimer! Cheyenne does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Phantom of the Opera!

Cheyenne: Italicized sentences are people singing. I am lucky enough to own the ORIGINAL (that's right, ORIGINAL peoples. Be jealous. xD) soundtrack from Phantom of the Opera, which gives me the lyrics for the songs, tho', most of them I know by heart xD

It also gives me some scenes which are vital to plot development. I mainly just use it for vital songs that I don't know ((The Phantom of the Opera theme NOT being one of them. I know that song by heart!!! I could sing it in my sleep. I am that amazing.)). YAY! I won't follow the original script very much. Actually, this chapter is probably the closest ya'll are going to get to the exact original. For this part of the fic, I'm following the gist of the script, BUT, I'm adding a lot of my own little things for originality, and establishing character, blah blah blah. I'm assuming that you'll all be able to figure out which bits are singing and which aren't? If not, PM me or something and I'll explain.

Anyways, on with the fic!

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//Sabine//

"_This trophy from our saviors, from the enslaving force of Rome!"_ Anzu's voice warbled as she changed her pitch until it sounded like it should be shattering glass. Sabine kept her dancing rhythm, watching slightly as Anzu held the "severed head" in her hand. Honestly, what kind of messed up person sends his mistress a severed head as a present? Sabine looked once towards Mai, who looked as if she was thinking along the same lines. Hannibal would, they both concluded silently before returning to their roles as the leading slave girls. As soon as Anzu was done with her line, the chorus joined in. Sabine almost laughed as one of the stage hands crossed the stage itself, carrying a ladder. This was only a practice, after all, and last minute preparations were being made for that night; when they would actually perform _Hannibal _to a live audience. Sabine didn't want to admit it, but she was nervous beyond belief. She didn't want to let herself down, but more importantly, she didn't want to let her teacher down…Her Angel.

"_With feasting and dancing and song, tonight in celebration, we great the victorious throng, returned to salvation!" _The girls' chorus sang.

"_The trumpets of Carthage resound! Hear Romans, now and tremble! Hark to our steps on the ground!" _The men's' chorus followed suite, and the two said chorus' joined into one voice:

"_Hear the drums – Hannibal comes!"_

Mai rolled her eyes at Sabine, who tried her best to keep a straight mask. Again, she failed. If there was one thing Sabine could not do, it was to hide her emotions. She was always so open, which annoyed her to death. She resumed her position, however, as "Hannibal" strode onto the stage. Sabine heard Mai giggle once, as Tristan strode onto the stage with a haughty look on his face.

"_Sad to return to find the land we love threatened once more by Roma's far-reaching grasp_!""Hannibal" said.

"Tristan…For Ra's sake get it right! It's "Rome". We say "Rome", not "Roma"." The répétiteur, Bakura, said. His voice was thick with irritation as he glowered at the lead male singer. If Sabine could have turned her head without Anzu trying to hit her with the "severed head", she knew she would have seen Malik laughing behind stage, and Ryou trying not to laugh from where he conducted the orchestra. Marik was probably up in the rigging, doing… whatever the heck he did up there...while laughing his head off at Bakura's misfortune of trying to teach Tristan correct pronunciation. Managing the stage sets as he did, Sabine didn't really know. She listened to Tristan's excuses for why he didn't say "Rome", and she saw Mai smirk again as the blonde watched said male singer try to pronounce "Rome" a few times.

"Once again, then, if you would, Tristan: "Sad to return…"" Bakura said, waving his hand intolerantly.

Just as Tristan started to sing again, they were interrupted by Mr. Otogi.

"Ladies and gentlemen, some of you may already, perhaps, have met Mr. Kaiba and Mr. Pegasus?" Mr. Otogi asked.

Bakura growled, and fixed the manager with a baneful glare. "Mr. Otogi, we _are _rehearsing. Kindly shut the hell up until we are finished!" ((AN: That was more Bakura-like than the original line, I think xD Can anyone imagine Bakura saying please to anyone but Ryou, when he can just say something like that? I can't ^^))

Since Mr. Otogi was used to Bakura's gruff attitude, he merely nodded with a small smile, saying: "My apologies, Bakura. Proceed…"

""Sad to return", Tristan! And for Ra's sake hurry it up, we certainly don't have all day!" Bakura snapped. ((AN: I'm really straying from the original lines, here xD))

Mr. Otogi turned to the two gentlemen behind him. One was a tall brunette, easily over six feet tall. His eyes were a piercing azure, and his face was set into a stony mask; though he was clearly amused at Bakura. The other was a man with long, grayish hair that covered the entire left side of his face. Mr. Otogi smiled at them both, saying: "Bakura, our chief répétiteur. Rather a tyrant, I'm afraid." The brunette let out a smile chuckle, while the other man simply smirked.

Sabine turned her attention back to her dancing, but she was feeling a little… distorted. She was too busy going over the events of that night, three days ago…again. She _knew _there had been a fifth voice. That baritone…that familiar baritone…where had she heard it before? Rather, who did it remind her of?

"_Sad to return to the land we love threatened once more by Rome's far-reaching grasp. Tomorrow we shall break the chains of Rome. Tonight rejoice – your army has come home_!" Tristan finished his line…finally.

Sabine was still thinking about this as she and Mai danced their parts, unaware that she had fallen out of step until Madame Giry banged her cane loudly against the floor. "You! Sabine Languisto! Concentrate, girl!"

"What's the matter?" Mai asked Sabine quietly, but Sabine just shrugged and smile reassuringly at her friend. "It is nothing, I am fine." She continued her dance, before she and Mai finally finished it. Sabine struggled to keep the wince of her face, as she realized just how much her feet were aching. Really, Madame Giry had kept them practicing all morning… Sigh.

"_Bid welcome to Hannibal's guests – the elephants of Carthage! As guides of our conquering quests, Dido sends Hannibal's friends!" _The chorus sang as the dancers ended their suite.

Sabine watched in awe as life-sized replica of an elephant was brought out, operated internally by two of the stage-hands. Smiling – Or perhaps smirking – Sabine watched as Tristan was lifted onto its back. His head was held high as if in triumph, and he himself wore a heavy smirk upon his face. They really needed a better male singer…Another sigh.

Anzu, playing Elissa, the mistress, stepped forward. "_Once more to my welcoming arms my love returns in splendor!_"

"_Once more to those sweetest of charms_-"Sabine and Mai giggled as Tristan said that. Anzu? Sweet charms? Not on this planet. "-_My heart and soul surrender_!"

The chorus started up again: "_The trumpeting elephants sound – hear, Romans, now and tremble! Hark to their step on the ground – hear the drums! Hannibal comes!_" This was finished by an orchestra accompaniment, and you could clearly see Ryou waving the little baton-thing around in his hand, moving it downwards in a slicing motion to effectively cut off the music in a dramatic fashion.

Mr. Otogi signaled for silence. His emerald eyes darted around the room, and his black hair was tied back into a simple ponytail. "Ladies and gentlemen may I have your attention please? As you know, for some weeks there have been rumors of my imminent retirement. I can now tell you that these were all true, and it is my pleasure to introduce you to Mr. Seto Kaiba and Mr. Maximilian Pegasus; the two gentlemen who now own the Opera Populaire!" Anzu then stepped forward with a snug smile, talking even louder than the other performers so as to get herself noticed.

"Gentlemen, this is Miss Anzu Mizaki, our lead soprano for, oh, about five seasons now." Mr. Otogi continued.

"Ah, yes. Anzu Mizaki. Of course, we have…experienced your greatest roles," Pegasus said politely.

"And this is Tristan, our lead male singer."

"A pleasure, sir." Seto said curtly, though he looked as if it was anything but.

"If I remember correctly, Elissa has a rather fine aria in Act Three of "Hannibal". I wonder, Miss Mizaki, if you would oblige us with a private rendition?" ((AN: For those you don't know, rendition is just a fancy term for performance.)) Pegasus asked. Seto rolled his eyes. He really didn't have time for this. He was a busy man, after all… "Or, that is, unless Bakura here objects." Said répétiteur turned and scowled at Seto as he said this. The albino then noticed how Seto was clearly hoping he would say no, so Bakura merely smirked and said: "My _diva_ commands." He strung the word diva out, so that it sounded more than a little sarcastic. Seto looked even more put-out now, and he hunched his shoulders as a piano player played two bars of introductory music (on the piano, obviously) before Anzu started singing.

"_Think of me,_

_Think of me fondly,_

_When we've said_

_Goodbye!_

_Remember me_

_Once in a while – _

_Please promise me you'll try._

_When you find_

_That, once_

_Again, you long_

_To take your heart…" _Anzu was cut off as one of the stage backdrops crashed to the ground, cutting her off from half the cast. She let out a shrill scream, covering her face briefly with her arm before stomping her foot on the ground in fury as Mai suddenly sang out:

"_He's here: the Phantom of the Opera…"_

"_He's with us… It's the ghost!" _The chorus girls, and all the ballet girls but Sabine echoed.

"You're all idiots!" Tristan snarled as he ran over to Anzu, who was shrieking hysterically again while randomly pointing towards the ceiling. "Anzu! Are you all right? Marik! Where the hell is Marik!" Tristan looked wildly around for the sandy-haired Egyptian, who had appeared on the riggings and narrow wooden bridge-like things above the stage, yet behind the curtain line.

"Whadda ya want?" Marik snapped.

"Get down here! And for gods sake what the hell is going on up there?" Mr. Otogi demanded.

"How should I know? I wasn't at my post!" Marik muttered. Sabine turned to see Malik standing slightly behind the curtain, blushing as Marik said that and looking slightly disheveled. The young girl then turned to see a smirk play across Marik's face, as he said: "There's no one there: and if there is, well then, it _must_ be a ghost!"

"_He's there: the Phantom of the Opera!"_ Mai sung in a more hushed voice. Sabine elbowed her roughly, trying to get her friend to shut up.

"_Good heavens! Will you show a little courtesy_?" Seto snapped, though with a slight melodic tinge. Sabine giggled mentally at that. Pegasus turned to Mai and the others, a frown crossing his face as he said: "Ladies, please!"

"These things do happen," Seto said nonchalantly.

"Sure, these things happen! Well until you STOP these things from happening, THIS thing does NOT happen!" Anzu said with a temperamental whine as she pointed to herself and signaled for Tristan to fetch her furs from the wings.

"Amateurs!" Tristan grumbled as he went, looking at Seto and Pegasus.

"Rather a bitch, ain't she?" Seto snarled.

"I don't think there's much more I can do to assist you. Good luck! If you need me, I shall be in Frankfurt!" Mr. Otogi shook both the new managers' hands, before hastily departing the theater.

"Pah! Anzu will be back," Seto said as he waved his hand lazily.

"You think so, Kaiba?" Madame Giry said. "I have a message, sir, from the Opera Ghost." As she said that, the girls of the cast started to twitter nervously, whispering to each other in a most annoying fashion. Even the men tried to hide their obvious discomfort at the mention of the Opera Ghost by randomly looking in all directions. Sabine hung back from them, her eyes cast downwards. Mai was beside her.

"Good heavens, you're all obsessed!" Pegasus exclaimed. Madame Giry eyed him quickly, a spark of annoyance evident in her expression as she turned to the letter she was holding in her hand. "He merely wishes to welcome you to his opera house-"

"HIS opera house?" Seto Kaiba hissed. "It's not his op-"

Madame Giry silenced Kaiba with a glare and continued: "-and he commands that you continue to leave Box Five empty for his use and-"

"Whatever for!" Pegasus said in shock, ignoring the frosty look Madame Giry was giving him before she continued: "-he reminds you that his salary is due."

"His salary?" Pegasus asked, looking thoroughly baffled.

"Mr. Otogi paid him twenty thousand a month. Perhaps you two can afford more, with Mr. Wheeler as your patron." Madame Giry explained patiently.

"Pah, I've lots of money already myself!" Seto grumbled, too low for anyone to pick up.

Sabine, however, had frozen as soon as they had mentioned Mr. Wheeler. Could it be…? She had known a Mr. Wheeler. A Mr. Joey Wheeler to be more precise. They had been friends when they were younger, actually. It would be nice to see him again… Sabine shook her head again. Who was she kidding? The girl had been so busy thinking that she lost track of the conversation, before she heard Bakura break in angrily: "There is no understudy! This bloody production is new, for Ra's sake!" Before Sabine knew what happened, she heard Mai say: "Sabine could sing it, sir!"

"The chorus girl?" Pegasus asked with an arched brow.

"She's been taking lessons from a great teacher!" Mai continued, and Sabine looked down at the floor, wishing her friend would just shut up…

"From whom?" Seto asked curiously.

"I, uh… I don't…really…know…" Sabine said quietly, as she looked up with evident unease.

"Oh, not you as well!" Pegasus growled as he turned to Seto. "Can you believe it? A full house and we have to cancel!"

"Let her sing for you, gentlemen. She has been practicing!" Madame Giry said, giving Sabine a gentle nudge forward. Sabine smiled nervously, as she moved forward to take the stage. A piano accompaniment began, and she opened her mouth; letting the melody pour out of her as she closed her eyes briefly, before being whirled away in a blanket of music.

**==Hours Later, Right Before the Night Performance==**

"Are you ready?" Mai breathed. She was so close that the exhaled air tickled Sabine's neck, making her giggle. They were all kind of squished together, but the dress Sabine was wearing wasn't helping much. Oh, it was beautiful, though. The skirts were full, with lots of under-layering. It was a light, sky-blue, and seemed to sparkle like the diamond flowers that adorned her hair. The torso clung to her figure, and the sleeves left her shoulders bare, instead hanging off them like half-rings. ((AN: Sorry for my failure at describing that xD))

"Ready as I'll ever be," Sabine said, though it took all her will not to let her voice shake, as it seemed to want to.

"Then go for it!" Mai said as she gave Sabine a little push onto the stage, but only a little one to make sure her friend would even move. Sabine took a deep breath and walked the rest of the way, hoping she looked calmer than she felt.

**==Later Scene==**

Sabine smiled. As the opera went along, she had started to feel calmer. More sure. Now… now was the moment of truth. The aria. Could she do it? The new managers seemed to think she could, else why would they cast her for this part after Anzu's departure? Well, she would not fail them. Moving upstage, she smiled and started singing.

"_Think of me,_

_Think of me fondly,_

_When we've said_

_goodbye._

_Remember me_

_Once in a while – _

_Please promise me_

_You'll try._

_When you find_

_That, once_

_Again, you long_

_To take your heart back_

_And be free – _

_If you_

_Ever find_

_A moment,_

_Spare a thought_

_For me…" _Sabine smiled again, reaching the front of the stage.

"_We never said_

_our love_

_was evergreen,_

_or as unchanging_

_as the sea – _

_but if_

_you can still_

_remember,_

_stop and think_

_of me…_

_think of all the things_

_we've shared and seen – _

_don't think about the things_

_which might have been…_

_think of me,_

_think of me waking_

_silent and_

_resigned._

_Imagine me_

_Trying too hard_

_To put you_

_From my mind._

_Recall those days,_

_Look back_

_On all those times,_

_Think of the things_

_We'll never do – _

_There will never be_

_A day, when I won't think of you…" _'So far so good,' Sabine thought to herself, beaming happily despite herself. She just felt so exhilarated! She had no idea what other surprises the Opera Populaire was to dump on her dressing room doorstep…

"_We never said_

_our love was evergreen,_

_or as unchanging_

_as the sea – _

_but please_

_promise me,_

_that sometimes,_

_you will think_

_of me!" _Sabine ended with a flourish, as a wave of applause rode through the audience. She did it! Feeling elated, Sabine thought to herself that nothing could surprise her more than the events of this morning (and right now), could.

How could she have been so horribly wrong?

**==After the Performance==**

"Sabine! Oh, Sabine, you were wonderful!" Mai said, running over to give her friend a hug. ((AN: OOC Mai! Huzzah!))

"Mai! I c-can't breathe!" Sabine choked out, and Mai released her. The other ballet girls were crowding around, too. Sabine, holding a bouquet of roses, handed some of them out. Then, she flopped down onto floor; letting her dress (which was actually lighter than she had originally thought,) fan out around her as the other girls exited the area, no doubt heading off to the half-masquerade party.

"Sabine! You're going to ruin your dress!" Mai said cheekily.

"Oh, phooey on the dress!" Sabine said, her icy sapphire eyes still shiny and glowing. "How did I do?"

"Well, Sabine. From the amount of applause I heard, I'd say you did… eh, okay." Mai grinned at her friend, who was glaring at her in a teasing manner. "And my opinion matters most, you kno-ack!" Mai sputtered as a pillow from a nearby couch was whisked at her head, hitting her square in the face. She looked up to see Sabine grinning wickedly at her from where she had gotten up.

"You're paying for that one!" Mai laughed, tossing the pillow back. Sabine slipped to the side, but the pillow still hit her arm. She laughed and sat down again, this time on the couch. "I should change. I don't think your mother would be too happy if I ruined this dress," she grinned.

"I should think not!" Mai said, disappearing for about five minutes and coming back with a crimson-colored dress. "Here, slip this on!" Sabine eyed it dubiously. "Where am I suppose to change, pray tell?"

"This is an opera house, Sabine. There's bound to be a change room somewhere backstage!" Sabine smiled at her friend and took the dress, disappearing down the hallway.

Ten minutes later, she returned. The dress was uncomplicated, with black embroidery patterns on the hem and sleeves which reached to her wrists. It still left her shoulders bare, and it showed a little cleavage. It was really quite nice, though, despite its simplicity. "So?"

"It looks great!" Mai answered. She, in the time it had taken Sabine to change out of the elaborate blue dress to the crimson one, had slid into a white dress, which was tinged with gold around the hems.

"Mai!" Sabine laughed. "You stole one of the costumes?"

"Who cares? Everyone else probably did, too!" The two girls collapsed into a fit of laughter, until another voice joined in-only with a mocking and sneer-like sound.

"What are you two laughing about?" Sabine looked up to see Anzu glaring at her, arms crossed. She was wearing a pink dress (with some ruffs and tucks as well as a full skirt), and did not look happy.

"Nothing," Mai said.

"I'm not that stupid!" Anzu sniffed.

"Fooled me," Mai muttered. Sabine elbowed her. Hard.

"Huh?" Anzu said, obviously not having heard.

'Good,' Sabine thought.

"I didn't say anything," Mai said simply. Anzu narrowed her eyes, but nodded. "Well," the soprano continued, glaring at Sabine, now. "I suppose you think you're the next big thing now, huh?"

"N-No, Anzu, I-"

"Well, you're not! You only got to sing because I didn't feel like it. That's all you are, a replacement. Used, and then discarded and forgotten," Anzu continued. "So if you think-"

"Shut up!" Mai snarled, tossing a pillow at the bewildered singer's face, messing up her hair.

"Hey!" Anzu squealed, trying to smooth down her brown locks.

"Next time I'll use this!" Mai picked up a candleholder and hit the palm of her hand with it menacingly, narrowing her eyes.

"Mai, please don't," Sabine whispered, eyes downcast; slightly shaking as she tried to cover her shaking voice and now-downcast spirits. She knew she shouldn't let Anzu get to her like that, but... Mai glared at Anzu, and Anzu cleared her throat.

"Well, I suppose I'll see you two at the half-masquerade then!" Anzu gave an indignant sniff, looking at them down her nose before flouncing off down the hallway… but not before a couple of sandbags fell in front of her, earning a loud and oddly satisfying yell from the girl.

Mai laughed. _"He's here: The Phantom of the Opera!" _She whispered harmoniously to Sabine, who cracked a grateful smile. Was he here? She almost hoped so. She felt strangely happy at this thought. The Opera Ghost… the strange and elusive Phantom.

"Hmph!" Anzu snorted before disappearing around a corner, presumably to the party.

"Well, shall we?" Mai asked after a pause.

"Shall we what?"

"Go to the half-masquerade, of course!" Mai grinned, reaching over to grab a couple of masks. Sabine's was simple and black, covering the top half of her face while Mai's was gold-colored, also covering half her face, as customary masks often did.

"Oh, yes!" Sabine pulled the mask over her face, and was happy when it matched her attire, as did Mai's. She stood up, brushing any dust she might have acquired off her dress.

"Let's go!" Mai said, grabbing her friends arm and dragging her down hallways and corridors; up and down staircases and around corners. As she did this, Sabine got to thinking about… stuff.

No, not just stuff. About the mysterious fifth voice. After three days of pondering (and making discreet inquiries as she pretended to ask questions), she had to grimly conclude that no one working in the Opera Populaire had a voice quite that… alluring. Now, Sabine had begun to think she had imagined the voice after all, despite thinking only earlier this very day that she had NOT been imagining it. Perhaps she had been in denial. Perhaps she had wanted to believe it so much she had pretended it actually happened. Yet somehow, she knew she had not. She knew the voice was there, otherwise she would have imagined the whole conversation, which she knew for a fact she did not. After all, she had stumbled upon Marik, Bakura, Ryou, and Malik continuing the same discussion. So, therefore, the whole thing must have been real, no questions asked. And now she was back to the: "Who was the fifth voice?" question. Also, there was the question as to why the voice sounded so familiar, as if she had heard it many times before, yet…not. How could she have heard the voice IN the Opera Populaire, and then search the whole place finding no other person matching that voice?

'I'm not even making sense to myself anymore!' Sabine perceived to herself in disgust, and it was then she noticed they had arrived at a doorway.

"We're here!" Mai said, smiling as she looked into the room.

The room itself was relatively large. While not quite as big as the grand hallway, it was certainly large enough to hold a huge party. There were tables lined up at the walls, covered with white sheets. Platters of food and drink were piled on them, somehow arranged so they looked somewhat neat. There was a small platform where a small band consisting of five men were playing instruments such as fiddles-and in one man's case, a piano. The music was lively, filling the well-lit room as people danced and conversed throughout the room.

'Well,' Sabine thought, 'this looks like it could be lots of fun!'

And with Bakura and Marik masterminding the whole thing, well, you can be sure you weren't going to forget something like this. Who knew what they had schemed? Well, at least Malik and Ryou were here. They would keep Bakura and Marik at least somewhat in line! Sabine smiled, and this time it was genuine. For the time, at least, she could forget about the voice. For the time being, she could enjoy herself. Sabine turned to Mai and smiled, and was happy when her friend smiled back before tugging her into the room itself, so that they were no longer standing in the doorway.

"Welcome to the half-masquerade!"

________________________________________________________________

Cheyenne: And that's it for chapter 2! Sorry for the long wait, you guys, and for all those author notes.

*Mumbles* the absence of Yami in this chapter makes me sad, but- *Takes on dramatic voicing* It must be done.

*Back to normal voice* Anyways. Well, a party planned by Marik and Bakura, eh? This should be interesting xD Let's hope Ryou and Marik can keep an eye on them! Or maybe… *Evil grin*

Anyways, please R&R! Reviews make me happy and a happy Cheyenne means more chapters faster!

For those who don't know: There is no half-masquerade in the original _Phantom of the Opera_. I made up the half-masquerade, hee hee.

Well, I'll shut up now.

Again, a special thank you to those of you who have kindly reviewed my story, and for giving it a shot!


	4. Chapter 3: The Half Masquerade

Cheyenne: Wee! Chapter 3! This makes me happeh =D *Squeals and hugs all reviewers before wiping a happy tear from my eyes* THANK YOU GUYS SOOOO MUCH! Seriously =O Those were some of the nicest comments I've ever received, I think!!!

*Wipes another tear* *More happy sniffling*

Well, since I'm going on a ski trip for a week starting Sunday, I've decided to try and get another chapter out before I leave ^^

Yami: I hope for your sake I show up in this chapter. I have better things to do than dropping props on Anzu's head!

Bakura: …No you don't.

Cheyenne: Umm…

Bakura: He really doesn't.

Cheyenne: ANYWAYS. *Glares at Bakura, who shrugs and walks away* Hey! No! Bakura! Wait! Argh! …Ryou?

Ryou: Cheyenne wants you to know that she DOES NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh!, or Phantom of the Opera. Though if she did, you can be sure there would probably be some drastic changes in both. Because she's a sappy romantic person like that sometimes.

Cheyenne: I only wanted you to say the disclaimer!

Ryou: Well, they got that and then some. *Follows Bakura*

Cheyenne: … They're all plotting against me. Anyways, on with the fic! *Runs off before Marik and Malik can come in*

**________________________________________________________________**

//Sabine//

"Welcome to the half-masquerade!"

Sabine turned to see Ryou standing to her left with a large grin on his face. He was still wearing his conductors-uniform, his white hair tied back in a rough ponytail. Malik was mingling with some other party-goes, wearing a loose-fitting tan-top and red pants.

"Thanks, Ryou!" Mai said, waving her hand before smoothing down her white dress. Sabine smiled and added in her own thanks, before scanning the area of the party again. She couldn't see Anzu, but she figured the girl was somewhere here. Either that or she was just waiting to make a grand entrance. That would make more sense, had it not been for the fact that she was attempting to climb the stage the musicians were playing on and sing. Sabine placed her hand at her mouth to stifle her laughter as Marik and Bakura came up behind her with an evil grin, before Bakura gave a small tug at her dress, which sent the soprano spiraling towards the ground with a loud shriek.

"Man, what a low-life!" A voice said from behind her, and Sabine turned until she was looking directly into the honey-colored eyes of none other than Joey Wheeler.

"Joey!" Sabine cried out, eyes widening. "Is it really you? I haven't seen you in so long!"

"It's me alright!" Joey said with a grin, running a hand through his mop of blonde hair. He was wearing a formal green jacket with a plain white shirt underneath. His paints were also green, and he had a black cane tipped with a gold ball in his hand.

"How'd you know it was me?" Sabine asked, briefly touching the black mask that covered half her face.

"Well, Sab, I saw you singing!" Joey beamed at her, and Mai giggled.

"O-Oh!" Sabine said, looking down. "You were watching?"

"Yep! Man, you were wonderful, Sab!" Sabine blushed at this. She wasn't used to receiving such compliments. Mai giggled again, and suddenly all three of them glanced up to see Marik and Bakura walking closer to them, arguing about something that was probably trivial. Sabine stopping playing with the fabric of her dress as the répétiteur and the sandy-haired assistant prop-manager drew near.

"I tell you, we could be filthy stinkin' rich if we just ditched Anzu and hired Sabine here full time!" Bakura grinned at Sabine, who blushed again.

"Well, I think it would be funny to keep Anzu on, just to see her strut about the stage like an over-dressed peacock, only to be taken down a peg when our friend the Phantom decides to drop something on her!" Marik replied, and Sabine caught sight of both Ryou and Malik with their foreheads in their hands, shaking the rest of their heads in an exasperated motion. What were they up to…?

"Ah, well, what do _you_ think, Mister Wheeler?" Bakura inquired a mischievous glint in his eyes.

'Oh, they are definitely up to something,' Sabine thought. 'But what?'

"Well, I-"Joey suddenly frowned, not finishing whatever he had been about to say. "What Phantom?"

"Oh! You have not heard of him? Why, I thought everyone had!" Marik faked shock, placing his hands over his heart in an overly dramatic fashion. "Well, then, let me tell you! Our friend the Opera Ghost is…" Sabine frowned. Well, she would let them get on with their conversation, then…

"Sabine! Sabine, come on! Let's dance!" Mai said as she tugged at her friend, and they disappeared into the crowd.

**==One Hour Later==**

Mai giggled as she was whirled around by one of the stage hands, while Sabine laughed and clapped from behind. This party was truly pleasurable; the band was nice, the music even nicer, and so far Anzu hadn't even bugged them yet! After the stage incident, she had disappeared to sulk off in some unmapped corner or wherever. Sabine knew that as far as Mai was concerned, the lead soprano could just stay there and rot. Which would almost be acceptable, Sabine admitted. As much as she hated to think it, she almost wished that Anzu had left the theater for good. She knew others that thought the same way, too.

"Sabine!"

Speak of the devil. "Yes, Anzu?" Sabine turned to the other woman, her tone pleasant and a smile plastered on her face.

Anzu sniffed. "I was just seeing if you were, umm, _enjoying_ yourself at this party."

"Yes, very much so," Sabine said with a nod and a smile.

"Contrary to what I was saying earlier, I fear I must apologize for what I said to you prior to this party. I hear you were truly magnificent! And now, I fear I must agree. Perhaps you will sing for us later, no?" Anzu smiled, and Sabine felt a little flustered at this.

"Oh, s-sure, Anzu! I'd be glad to!" Sabine said after about ten seconds, surprised at the soprano's change of mood.

"Excellent!" Anzu cooed as if they were long-lost friends. She clapped her white-gloved hands together once, and flashed another smile. But this time, Sabine caught something behind it. Victory? Why would Anzu feel victorious? Ah, no matter, she was probably just imagining it.

Imagining…. Like the voice? No! Sabine closed her eyes and chased the thoughts out of her mind. Don't think about the voice, just concentrate on the dancing. Yes, that's it… just concen-

"Sabine?" Sabine snapped her eyes open and turned around to see Joey standing there, his face looking slightly flushed. It was then Sabine noticed the music tempo had changed. Now, it was classical, slow and melodic.

"Yes, Joey?" Sabine asked, before gasping as she realized she had neglected to take out the diamond flowers in her hair. Reaching up, she felt them still securely in place. Good grief… At least no one had stolen them, though.

"I was wondering I-If you would like t-to dance?" Joey finally asked, and Sabine tilted her head to the side, unsure about why he was acting so oddly.

"Well, of course!" Sabine held out her hand, and Joey took it. They proceed to line up with the other couples, until the whole ballroom was a divided into two lines. One line had all females, while the other had all males. Those not participating in this dance stood to the side, cheering and clapping their hands. Sabine spotted Mai dancing with Seto, and Anzu was (obviously) with Tristan. But the lead soprano's eyes were on someone else, and, as Sabine followed her train of vision, her own orbs came to rest on someone she knew she had never seen before in her life, talking to Ryou. He wore a loose black shirt, which was tucked into his tight black pants and matching black boots which stopped just below his knees. Over his hands he wore a pair of black gloves, which reached about halfway between his wrists and elbows. A black mask covered half his face, much like hers did. His hair was wild, with lightning-golden bangs that seemed to be placed in just the right spots on his face. Blonde streaks ran into the seven star-spikes of the rest of his black hair, with was tipped all the way around with crimson. Crimson… like his eyes. Sabine had never seen such eyes before in her life! They were like deep, never ending pools that she could not look away from. Mysterious… alluring…

"Sabine?" Sabine turned to see Joey looking at her expectedly. For one brief moment she turned back to the black-clothed stranger, only to find him staring at her with a slight smirk on his face. ((AN: Yami's custom smirk is the best xD)) Blushing furiously, Sabine turned back to a very angry looking Joey. For a moment, Sabine thought he was angry at her. But then when she followed his eyes, she found that he was staring at the crimson-eyed stranger, fury registering clearly in his expression.

"Joey?" Sabine nudged him as the two lines of male and female drew apart. The dance had begun.

**________________________________________________________________**

//Yami//

He didn't want to be here, not really. The chance was too great, he didn't want anyone to recognize him… though, since no one but Bakura, Marik, Malik, and Ryou had ever seen him, he doubted that would happen.

But, wouldn't people think it odd that he was there? Sure, Bakura and Marik had introduced him to the curious on watchers as their friend, but how long would that story work?

Why was he here again? Oh, wait. That was why.

_**Flashback**_

"Come on, Yami!" Bakura folded his arms over his chest with a smirk. "We'd all be wearing masks, anyways! You know, a HALF-masquerade?"

"I know what you mean!" Yami snarled, crimson eyes flashing with menace. "And I'm not going! What part of the word "no", don't you understand?"

"Bakura, if he doesn't want to go…" Marik's light lavender eyes glittered. "Then we should just drag him there!"

Yami growled, backing up against the wooden walls of the narrow corridor in which they were all standing, so that one of his two crazed friends couldn't come at him from behind. He hated parties. Wait, no that was a lie. He hated parties where people might recognize him.

As if his friends had guessed his thoughts, Bakura said: "Don't worry, Yami! We'll introduce you as our friend! They won't argue with us, right, Marik?"

"Right!" Marik poked Yami in the ribs, and the Opera Ghost glared at him.

"I'm not going and there's no way in Ra you can make me!"

"Sabine'll be there," Malik said calmly as he walked down the hallway towards them.

"So?" Yami said, though he could feel his resolve weakening. 'Damn! What are they? Friends, or conspirators?'

"Come on, Pharaoh! Besides, it'll be good for you, you know that!" Bakura protested feebly, as if he could tell his friend was giving in already.

"Yes, Yami! Please?" Ryou asked, appearing next to Bakura. Yami growled.

"We'll all be in masks, see? And besides, we can always watch our dear little soprano!" Marik cooed. Yami's eyes took a spark of cruel interest. "I see, then. Which dear little soprano are we talking about, exactly?"

"The annoying obsessed one that is bound to make a huge fool of herself so we can laugh, of course!" Bakura replied, chocolate eyes sparkling in the victory he knew he had won.

"Well then!" Yami clapped his gloved hands together once. He knew that if he didn't give in, they would forcefully drag him to that party. Literally. And that wouldn't be the end of it. "I guess I'd better go." Yami sighed in defeat, and Bakura and Marik high-fived each other while Ryou and Malik gave each other knowing smirks.

"We'll hold you to that, Yami! If you're not there on time, we'll search the WHOLE Opera Populaire for you, and screw whoever sees us doing it!" Marik said mildly, as if it was perfectly normal.

The scary thing was that Yami knew they'd actually do that. "Yeah, yeah, I'll be there," the Phantom replied with a nod of his head, before swinging himself up into the rafters and disappearing from view.

_**End Flashback**_

Sigh. Well, that's why he was here. Well, it could have been worse; they actually _could_ have decided to drag him all this way! Yami frowned. He was wearing his normal Phantom attire, which, despite his earlier thoughts, actually fit in more than any costume would. Tugging on the edge of his glove absentmindedly, he failed to notice Ryou until the young albino was right beside him.

"What are you doing, Yami? You should be out there enjoying yourself!" He pointed out mildly.

"I am enjoying myself enough," Yami said. He had been keeping tabs on that Mister Wheeler, and he found (much to his evident dislike), that he had asked Sabine to dance with him. As the couples lined up into two, parallel lines, Yami turned to see Anzu staring at him. He shivered as Anzu raised her hand and gave a cheeky wave, accompanied by a smile that she obviously thought was seductive. Well, there goes the evening. And wasn't she with Tristan, anyways?

"You're not, now," Ryou pointed out.

"Well, if you would kindly take Anzu off my back I'd probably be having a little more fun than I am right now!" Yami replied with a growl, and Ryou held both his hands up in front of him. "Calm down, Yami. It can't be all that bad."

"You don't know the half of it, Ryou," Yami said, turning to try and find Sabine and Joey again. Sabine had turned to Joey for a moment, but Yami couldn't help but smirk as she turned to stare at him once, much to Joey's evident annoyance. How did he know Joey was annoyed? Well, actually, now Yami would say he was angry, especially since Sabine had blushed. Again, how did he know this? Well, from the death-glares Joey was sending him, it was pretty obvious that the patron was livid at the attention Sabine seemed to be giving the Opera Ghost (AKA, Him!).

'Ha, well, let him be jealous!' Yami thought with satisfaction, crossing his arms and leaning back against the wall as the dance began.

**________________________________________________________________**

//Sabine//

Sabine bowed to Joey as the dance ended, and he bowed back; his furious gaze returning briefly to the crimson-eyed stranger.

"Joey, please stop. You're being paranoid," Sabine said with a soft smile. Joey looked at her, and his expression softened. "Do you know him?" He suddenly asked.

"Who?" Sabine asked, her cheeks coloring slightly.

"Him!" Joey growled in the direction of the man Sabine had been looking over at for the past five or ten minutes.

"No," Sabine admitted, looking down. 'But I wish I did,' she thought secretly to herself. "Are you having a good time, Joey?" Sabine instead chose to ask, as she and the stranger locked eyes once more before someone moved in front of them, obscuring her view.

"Yes," Joey said after a pause. "But come! Let us move away from here." Joey held out his arm, which Sabine decided to take after a pause.

"Alright," The girl said quietly before stepping through the crowd until they both stood on the outside of the ring that had formed. Sabine's eyes widened as she saw who was in the center of the circle, though, and she moved forward again to see if her eyes weren't deceiving her.

Mai stood there, holding the hand of none other than Seto Kaiba, as they danced around in a loop, the crowd clapping to the rhythm of the dance. Sabine pushed to the front, cheering the loudest she could for her friend.

"Your friend's a good dancer," a rich, baritone voice said, and Sabine nearly fainted. She had heard that voice! It was The Voice! The fifth voice from that one night! The one she had been inquiring about for days! Now, she was finally about to find out who it was. Turning around, she almost fainted yet again when she found herself face-to-face with the crimson-eyed man. Sabine opened her mouth and closed it, no sound coming out whatsoever. The man watched this with nothing short of amusement, and Sabine took in his features from close up. To say he was handsome would be a bit of an understatement! His features were finally carved and aristocratic, and he had this aura of mystery around him, which Sabine found intriguing.

"I'm a good dancer, too, I've been told," Sabine said once she found her voice, and she felt like taking that statement back when the man smirked, quirking a brow from behind his mask.

"Oh, really?" He purred his voice tinged with an almost seductive tone. "Let's say we test that out, hmm?"

"If you feel you're up to the challenge, good sir!" Sabine said as she took his offered arm, and the two made their way to the center of the circle.

"I'm always up for a challenge," the man whispered before drawing her close to him, as the music started up. It was a very spirited song, one that makes you want too swing and twirl. Sabine smiled as the man took her hand, using it to spin her over and over again in circles as the music picked up tempo.

"Tired yet, sir?" Sabine smiled as the man pulled her against his chest. Sabine should have found this strange, but this was a dance, after all…. And she did feel incredibly protected.

"Not even," The man leaned down to whisper in her ear, as they pulled apart. Sabine held one of his hands as she swung outward, twirling back into his embrace as his hands came around her waist, her back to his chest. They stayed like that for about five seconds, before resuming the rest of the dance. People cheered and clapped as the two danced, and to the casual onlookers, it would appear as if they were very much in love. But was that entirely a lie? Or was there a speck of truth in it?

The dance ended with Sabine facing the man, pressed against his torso. His hands were around her waist, holding her there, and her held was inclined slightly backwards, arms around his neck. His head was tilted over hers, as if he were about to kiss her. Sabine was panting, and the man looked as if he was tired, too.

"Well, sir, you certainly are a good dancer!" Sabine said.

"As are you," the man whispered. Sabine felt like she could stop breathing and it would not matter. They we so close. So very close… Both of them leaned a little closer together, their lips about to meet when suddenly, Sabine wondered what she was doing. Kissing a man she had met less than an hour ago? But she was surprised at how much she wanted this. Wanted _him_.

"What is your name?" Sabine whispered. The man seemed to hesitate for a moment, before giving her an answer.

"Yami." His voice was low and husky, and Sabine felt herself melting into his touch as they leaned closer. Five centimeters separated them. Now three. One.

"Sabine!" Sabine closed her eyes and sighed as Joey's voice rang out, and she reluctantly stepped out of Yami's arms to face her childhood friend.

"Yes, Joey?" Sabine replied, still flustered as she smoothed out her crimson dress, letting it fan out a little around her feet; the black patterns more evident at the hem. Joey approached them, growling at Yami who only smirked back. Sabine caught sight of Mai, who was standing at the edges of the circle with her mouth wide open, and eyes shining.

"Ah, Sabine! I see you've met our good friend, Yami!" Ryou said appearing next to them with a wide smile plastered on his face. But there was a knowing twinkle in his dark brown eyes, and Malik, who was standing beside him, had a smile that screamed "victory" smeared all over his face.

"Yes, yes I did." Sabine said, a blush tickling her face again. "He's a wonderful dancer."

"A dancer's only as good as his partner," Yami said, smiling again.

"Well, now that we're past the pleasantries!" Joey growled, and Sabine turned to him with a bewildered expression. "Joey, what is wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Joey said through clenched teeth. His hands were balled into fists, and he was glaring something fierce at Yami. Sabine was about to say something when a new voice spoke up.

"Surely you're not jealous, Mister Wheeler?" Marik asked as he sauntered over.

"No, I'm not jealous, but did you see-?"

"What I saw was a perfectly lovely dance! I never thought you had it in you, Sabine! And Yami, that was a surprise! I didn't even think you danced!" Marik bowed to the young singer, who mumbled thanks in return as the sandy-haired male turned to smirk at Yami. Looking down at the floor, Sabine remembered those tantalizing moments in Yami's strong, safe arms. She almost felt like she had known him for much longer than she had. Longer than just this night. Was she…? Did she love this strange man? No, how could she? For gods sake she didn't even know him! How can you fall in love with someone you've only known for the past hour or so? No, she was not in love with this crimson eyed man. She could not be. It was unfathomable! And wasn't that being unfair to her Angel? She knew she loved him, too….

Yet she was. How could she be? How could this have happened? She didn't believe in love at first sight, so why did it have to happen to her?

"Sabine?" Sabine looked up into Yami's concerned eyes, and she felt a warmth spread throughout her entire body, putting her senses on edge. She was dimly aware of Joey glaring at the object of her desire, but her focus was all for Yami. "Yes?" She answered softly.

"Are you alright?" Joey cut in, stepping in front of Yami, blocking her view again. Sabine sighed. "Yes, Joey, I'm fine!" 'Except for the fact that I'm in love with a perfect stranger!' She added privately to herself. Yes, she had finally admitted it to herself in the long period of that agonizing amount of two minutes time. "Please, Joey, why are you so upset?" Sabine asked quietly, staring up into the honey eyes of her friend.

"Sabine, I don't think I should have to explain why-"

"Sabine!" Anzu called, swooping over to them with a fake-looking smile and batting her eyelashes in a flirtatious manner at Yami, who ignored her. Even so, Sabine felt a twinge of jealousy.

"That dance was simply marvelous!" Anzu purred, fake-sweetness oozing off of her as she grabbed Sabine's arm. Mai appeared then, scowling at the brown-haired soprano.

"I wonder, Mister, if you would like to dance with me? I'm sure I could be just as _interesting_ as Sabine, here," the lead soprano added in a seductive tone. Yami looked fairly disgusted, but he replied in an even, polite tone: "Actually, I'm quite tired. Perhaps another time…?"

"Yeah, like never!" Bakura said, appearing between Yami and Anzu as an efficient blocker. Anzu narrowed her eyes at him, and laughed in a high-pitched manner. "Oh, come now! Sure I'm not all that bad a partner?"

"Yeah, but it's the kind of partner!" Marik said slyly. "If we thought all you wanted him for is a dance partner, perhaps he would."

"What are you implying, peasant!" Anzu hissed.

"Nothing, other than the fact that you're only interested in how good Yami is in bed!"

Sabine couldn't help but gasp at that, and she saw the bewildered-yet-amused expression playing over Yami's face.

"Why you-!" Anzu hissed, looking as if she wanted to strangle both the albino and the sandy haired male. She then turned to Yami and said in a sickly sweet voice: "Don't believe them, Yami dear. They're just joking. Don't worry, I know them well."

"Please don't insult my intelligence by implying that my friends have no life. While they may not, it is not your place to point that out. And, as Bakura and Marik have so tactlessly pointed out, I think you're more interested in bed partners than dance partners." Yami said this with a straight face, his crimson eyes flashing.

Anzu spluttered, her hands curling at her thighs. "Well, I suppose you'd rather Sabine to be your _partner_, then?" Marik and Bakura howled with laughter.

"Anzu, why can't you get through that thick head of yours that I'm no more interested in you than our friend the Opera Ghost?" Sabine caught something flicker in Yami's eyes as he mentioned the Phantom, but she chose to stay silent, blushing furiously from this whole thing. Would she really mind being Yami's partner...? Ack! What was she thinking?

"I'll have you know that the Phantom is _very_ interested in me!" Anzu said with an indignant sniff.

"Oh, trust me. He's not!" Yami's crimson eyes flashed in untold anger, and Sabine moved over to him quietly, placing her hand on his cheek and ignoring the furious look Joey cast over. Yami instantly relaxed at her touch, as he turned towards her; bringing his hand up to cover hers. They stood there like that for a few moments, Yami's crimson eyes as soft as Sabine's icy sapphire ones. She felt like this moment could go on forever. It could for all she cared. She just wanted to feel his touch… Yami looked over to Joey as the blonde coughed angrily, trying to gain their attention.

"I'd like it if you stopped trying to seduce my girlfriend!" Joey said, teeth just as clenched as his fists.

"Wha-what?" Sabine stuttered, breaking contact with Yami as she brought her hand to grasp her wrist. "Joey, I'm not your girlfriend…"

"Well, well, that's what I wanted to speak to you about tonight. See-"

"Now, Sabine, you said you'd sing for us?" Anzu suddenly interrupted, obviously bored as she tugged on the others girl arm.

"Well, yes, b-but I didn't think-"Sabine stuttered, not wanting to go just yet.

"Marvelous!" Anzu squealed, pulling the girl away from the others and onto the stage before jumping off. But as she did so, the hem of her dress caught on a loose board nail and she fell on the ground, face first. Bakura and Marik laughed at this, until Bakura "accidentally" shoved Marik into one of the servers, causing him to drop his platter of beverages onto the furious lead soprano.

"Oops!" Both men chorus before breaking down into let another fit of hilarity. Sabine couldn't help but smile as she watched Anzu struggle to her feet, her pink dress stained in spots with alcohol. "You-you bastards!" Anzu slapped Bakura hard across the face, which caused Ryou to yell "hey!" from where he was holding an orange in his hand on the other side of the room. Tossing the orange up once and catching it again, he pitched it at her, smiling as it hit her on the side, just as Marik "accidentally" spilled his drink on her. ((AN: Shameless Anzu tormenting. *Apologizes to Anzu likers*))

"Guys, that's enough!" Sabine said, jumping off the stage to try and help Anzu. But the soprano only shoved her back, and stomped out of the room. "You really shouldn't do that," Sabine turned quietly to Bakura and Marik. Both just shrugged like they didn't care, and they probably didn't.

"She had it coming," Bakura said as Ryou ran over to him, frantically asking if the other albino was alright. After being satisfied that he was, Ryou allowed Bakura to kiss him before wrapping his arms around his waist from behind. The two stayed that way while Sabine felt that mean little emotion known as jealousy again, as she remembered what that felt like from the dance she and Yami had shared. Speaking of which… Sabine looked around the room, only to find the man had vanished completely. Sabine sighed, but she climbed up on the stage anyways. She was nervous beyond belief, and she was about to get off again when she saw Mai smiling at her, obviously recovering from her laughter at the whole Anzu thing.

"You can do it," Mai whispered. Sabine swallowed, and she was about to shake her head "no" when a voice drifted to her.

"_Angel…" _

It was little more than a whisper, but it sounding encouraging, telling her she would do great. It was so familiar… again, as if she had just heard it, yet she could not put a name to it. It was a whisper, therefore… Closing her eyes, Sabine started singing the first song that came to mind. This one kept making itself up in her head as she went along, and she knew at once that this song went to her angel.

Her Angel of Music. And maybe, maybe for Yami, too.

"_Father once spoke_

_of an angel…_

_I used to dream he'd_

_Appear…_

_Now as I sing_

_I can sense him…_

_And I know_

_He's here…" _Sabine smiled, closing her eyes and letting the song take her.

"_Here in this room_

_he calls me softly…_

_somewhere inside_

_hiding…_

_Somehow I knew_

_He's always with me…_

_He – the unseen_

_Genius…"_

Mai smiled at her friend, though it was a little uneasy. Sabine seemed to be miles away, as if she was somewhere else. Singing for someone else. Someone that nobody knew about, except her.

"_Sabine, you must have_

_been dreaming…_

_stories like this can't come true…._

_Sabine, you're talking in riddles…_

_And it's not_

_Like you…" _Mai stepped onto the stage, and walked over to her friend. Sabine just smiled at her, continuing on almost as if she were in some sort of trance.

"_Angel of Music!_

_Guide_

_And Guardian!_

_Grant to me your_

_Glory!"_

"_Who is this Angel? This…"_ Mai sang, almost to herself as she joined Sabine in singing:

"_Angel of Music!_

_Hide_

_No longer!_

_Secret and strange_

_Angel…"_ Sabine and Mai looked at each other, and Sabine smiled. She looked radiant, smiling at the audience. But Mai noticed one audience member that she seemed to search out in particular. The strange man. Yami. But where was he? He seemed to have disappeared! How could he have?

Mai stepped off the stage first as the people applauded, reaching up to help Sabine down when suddenly an ominous cracking sound was heard.

Above the stage was decent-sized chandelier. Nothing too fancy, but it was crucial in lighting the room. Sabine looked up just in time to see said chandelier fall… right down onto the spot where she stood. With a scream, she suddenly felt the floor beneath her giving out, and strong arms wrapping around her as her world was plunged into darkness.

**________________________________________________________________**

Cheyenne: Holy Ra!

Sabine: *Sobbing* Am I dead? Why is it so dark now?

Cheyenne: No, you're not dead. And probably because the main source of light (IE, the Chandelier), just went out. And the other reason you'll have to find out in the next chapter, which I'm getting all exited about just THINKING of typing!

I bet you're all wondering where Yami is, eh? *Grinning* Well, most of you'll be able to guess. But for those who don't, you'll find out that the next chapter, also!

Anyways, I wish to thank the following people: Auranna, Sunrise Phoenix, Natoya, Clare-stovold, and Wreckhavoc for their comments =D

Seriously, I love you guys! *Huggles and hands out Yami plushies. Gives Wreckhavoc a werewolf plushie.* Because I know you're not as fond of Yu-Gi-Oh! as I am ;) Or Phantom of the Opera.

Again, I LOVE YOU GUYS! Thank you SO much for reviewing! Seriously, your comments mean more to me than I could ever put into words! They were the reason I was able to get this chapter out so fast =) Domo Arigato!


	5. Chapter 4: The Phantom of the Opera

Cheyenne: *Grinning* Left ya'll with a bit of a cliffhanger last time, didn't I?

Yami: I swear if anything happened to Sabine I'll send your soul to the Shadow Realm!

Cheyenne: *Shaking slightly* Umm…

Yami: *Growls*

Cheyenne: *Flees* ARGH! Umm, someone, I don't care who, just say the disclaimer!!

Anzu: Ch-

Cheyenne: Not you! *Tackles and drags offstage*

Ryou: Cheyenne does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Phantom of the Opera.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Distant screaming could be heard from above, but nothing was seen. "Sabine? Sabine! We have to get her out!" One voice cried.

"No! She couldn't have survived something like that," another replied.

"She could have, and she would have!" The first voice screamed unaware that the subject of their conversation was very much alive… and unharmed.

"Oh, god!" A voice whispered from the darkness. She couldn't see anything, it was so dark. All she knew for sure was that the chandelier had fallen right on her. Or had it? It just didn't make sense. The last thing she remembered was looking up and screaming as the chandelier fell towards her with a deadly intent. Then, she remembered the sensation of falling. Falling. Falling into the blackness. Why couldn't she see now? Where was she? Oh, god, what if she could never get out of here? What if it was too late to get out of here? What if… was she…

Was she dead? Voicing these thoughts aloud, Sabine was surprised to hear a low chuckling sound from behind her. Suddenly, she became aware of a pair of arms around her waist, and someone's breath tickling her neck. Yes, now she remembered. The arms. The strong arms, wrapping around her and pulling her into the darkness; out of the chandeliers way.

"You're not dead, Sabine," A deep, rich baritone said. The hold around her waist tightened slightly, as if the holder wanted to make sure nothing else could hurt her. Like he wanted to protect her. Where had she…? Why did this feel so familiar? This embrace; these arms protecting her… she had felt them before. Where? Was it Joey? No… not Joey. Not Joey, but…

"Y-Yami?" Sabine whispered, leaning back more into the man. "Yami, is that you?"

"Yes," the voice replied.

"Oh, god, Yami!" Sabine turned to face him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "What happened? Where am I? Why am I here? How is it that I'm not dead? Why'd the chandelier fall?" She buried her face in his chest, her tears soaking the front of his black shirt as the Opera Ghost held her as close to him as he could. "Shh," Yami whispered, using one of his hands to stroke her brown hair comfortingly. Oh, god! Why was she so afraid? Why couldn't she be brave? Brave… that's it; she needed to be brave…. What would Mai do in a situation like this…?

After her crying had subdued somewhat, Sabine was slightly surprised to feel Yami tilt her chin upwards towards him.

"You haven't figured it out yet?" Yami asked her once. In the blackness, Sabine could not see his expression. Tentatively, she reached towards where she guessed his cheek was,

"Figured what out yet?" Sabine asked quietly.

"Sabine, how do you feel about me?" The man asked. Sabine blushed, for once thankful for the darkness.

"I-I… I feel like I've known you for a lot longer than tonight. With you, I feel safe. Like nothing can happen to me with you here. I think I lo…" Sabine trailed off, not knowing how to continue. She felt one of Yami's gloved hands reach up and caress her cheek.

"You have known me a lot longer than tonight…._Angel_…"

"What?" Sabine suddenly snapped her head up, full attention on the man she could not see.

"Angel…" Yami whispered again, leaning towards her.

"I-I don't understand," Sabine whispered again, though she wasn't entirely sure if she was being true to herself. Yami smirked, and leaning in until their faces were nearly touching. Slowly, he opened his mouth, and a sweet song poured out.

"_I am your Angel…_

_Come to me: Angel of Music…"_

Sabine held her breath as he sang, his rich baritone seeming beckoning. She could barely even hear the voices above her, and Joey's rising above them all; shouting,

"Whose is that voice…? Who is that in there…?"

"_I am your Angel of Music…_

_Come to me: Angel of Music…"_

Sabine didn't know where she was going. All she knew was that when Yami held his hand out for her, she took it willingly and without a second thought. She trusted him. She would let him lead her where he will. As Yami escorted her down the hallway, a melody started spinning itself into her head, until it felt to her as if said song wasn't in her mind at all; but rather swirling around both her and Yami, pulling them into its steady, captivating embrace. Words began writing themselves in Sabine's head, and she closed her eyes before opening her mouth to let the tune flow out. This song… it ensnared them. She wasn't thinking about anything else besides Yami, and this strange, strange song. She felt as if she were in a dream; a dream she knew she never wanted to end.

((AN: For this part, I HIGHLY advise/recommend you listen to the Phantom of the Opera theme song, preferably the one sung by Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. You can find it on YouTube, if needed.))

"_In sleep_

_he sang to me,_

_in dreams he came…_

_that voice which calls to me_

_and speaks_

_my name…_

_And do_

_I dream again?_

_For now_

_I find,_

_The Phantom of the Opera_

_Is there – _

_Inside my mind…"_

Sabine looked up at Yami, and saw that the song sang through him, too. Smiling softly, and as sanely as she could without losing all her senses completely, she closed her eyes and listened as he sang the next part:

"_Sing once_

_again with me_

_our strange_

_duet…_

_My power_

_Over you,_

_Grows stronger yet…_

_And though_

_You turn from me,_

_To glance behind,_

_The Phantom of the Opera_

_Is there – _

_Inside your mind…"_

Sabine vaguely realized that they were walking down a flight of stone stairs. She also became aware of the sudden amounts of light. Turning once towards the walls, she noticed torches hanging from stands on said panel, illuminating their path. In front of her, she clearly saw Yami; still dressed in his evening wear, as was she. Her hand was firmly clasped in Yami's gloved one. Every now and then, the crimson-eyed man would glance back at her, the expression in both his eyes and face unreadable. But Sabine knew he was pleased. Her icy blue eyes were open again, not caring where Yami led her; so long as he would be there. New words came to her mind, and she sang them with growing power.

"_Those who_

_have seen your face_

_draw back_

_in fear…_

_I am_

_The mask you wear…"_

Yami looked back again._ "It's me they hear…" _This time, they both sang; voices blending in a rich unity.

"_Your/my spirit_

_and your/my voice,_

_in one_

_combined:_

_the Phantom of the Opera_

_is there – _

_inside your/my mind…"_

Sabine felt her head whirling. Now, as the strange music beat a steady rhythm, they approached a boat which was floating inside an underwater passageway; still obviously part of the Opera Populaire, yet she knew that in the minds of the others, it did not exist.

None of this supposedly existed.

And Yami apparently didn't exist.

And now that she was down here, in a place with a person said to not exist… did that mean she no longer existed?

Not existing…

No, she existed. Mai knew she existed, Joey knew she existed… and Yami definitely existed. What if… Sabine was pulled from her thought train as Yami started singing again, rich baritone matching the song as he helped Sabine into the boat in front of them. Candles lit the path through the underground lake, illuminating their journey further.

"_In all_

_your fantasies,_

_you always_

_knew._

_That man and mystery…"_

"…_Were both, in you…"_ Sabine sang softly. Yami smiled, using a wooden pole to propel the boat through the water, and the girl could see his crimson eyes sparkling as they both continued, voices rising in harmony:

"_And in_

_this labyrinth,_

_where night_

_is blind,_

_the Phantom of the Opera_

_is there/here – _

_inside your/my mind…"_

"_Sing, my Angel of Music!"_ Yami suddenly cried out, opening a gate-like barrier in the tunnels and caverns below the Opera Populaire.

"_He's there,_

_the Phantom of the Opera…_

_Ahhhhhhh! Ah ah ah ah, ah ahhhh, ah ahhhhh, ahhhhhhhh!"_

"Sing," Yami whispered, just as Sabine started again:

"_Ahhhhhhh! Ah ah ah ah, ah ahhhh, ah ahhhhh, ahhhhhhhh!"_

"Sing, for me!" Yami's voice was haunting, alluring… wanting… and Sabine wanted to fulfill that want.

"_Ahhhhhhh! Ah ah ah ah, ah ahhhh, ah ahhhhh, ahhhhhhhh!"_

"Sing, my Angel of Music!" Yami called again, his voice rising, as did Sabine's as she sang at the same time:

"_Ahhhhhhh! Ah ah ah ah, ah ahhhh, ah ahhhhh, ahhhhhhhh!"_ Her voice rose in volume. _"Ahhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhhh!"_

"Sing for me!"

"_Ahhhhhhhhh!"_ Sabine hit a high vocal note, and the song ended as soon as it had begun.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**==Back at the Half Masquerade, Some Time Previous==**

"Quickly! Quickly! Get her out of there!" Mai screamed, frantically pulling pieces of the now-broken chandelier off the pile on the stage. All around her guests were swarming around; screaming, yelling, trying to move the heavy chandelier…

"She couldn't have survived that!" Ryou wailed, clinging to Bakura whose usual expression was replaced by one of horror.

'Yami's gonna be pissed,' Bakura thought to himself, but he tightened his hold on Ryou. He would never let anything like that happen to his partner!

Joey was beside Mai, also frantically throwing things to the side. In fact, he was in such frenzy that he didn't notice Anzu slip into the room with a smug grin on her face.

But Marik did.

"You little bitch! What did you do?" The blonde Egyptian growled, launching himself across a table to knock Anzu against a wall, his hands around her neck.

"I-I…d-didn't d-do anything!" Anzu stuttered, and Marik could see the pure fear in her eyes. But the smugness still remained.

"Don't lie to me, you conniving bitch!" Marik shook the girl. By then, many of the room's occupants had turned to stare at them. Anzu's face darkened and she tilted her chin up defiantly.

"Fine. Yes, I dropped the chandelier," she snarled.

"WHAT?!" Malik, Ryou, Bakura, and Mai were instantly there, their faces dark and menacing. Anzu started to explain again, but Marik chose that moment to throw her across a table. Tristan immediately appeared, shielding Anzu behind him.

"Don't touch her!" Tristan said raising his hand as if that alone would stop the five angry people from approaching them.

"You're telling me NOT TO TOUCH HER, after she KNOCKED THE FREAKING CHANDELIER DOWN ONTO MY FRIEND, KILLING HER?" Mai screamed loudly. By then everyone was staring. Mai snarled again, picking up a plate and heaving it at Tristan and Anzu. Anzu screamed as the plate (which apparently had been full of food), hit the front of her dress; causing a big brown stain to appear. Tristan looked enraged, but he quickly fetched Anzu's furs and, both shooting a glare at the five, departed from the room. "LET ME AT THAT BITCH! I'LL FLAY HER AND SCATTER HER ENTRAILS FROM HERE TO LONDON!" Mai yelled, lunging forward to follow them.

"No, Mai! Wait!" Joey called his honey eyes wide. He appeared to be listening to something. But what? Mai fumed, but the look in Joey's eyes told her that it was important.

"Fine!" She spat, stalking over to Joey. She climbed upon the stage, and stared at the broken chandelier. Unaware that Ryou, Bakura, Marik, and Malik had followed her, she growled at Joey and immediately demanded to know why he had called her away from her plans of Anzu's imminent and bloody death.

"Listen!" Joey whispered, staring intently at the pile of debris. Mai did, and what she heard astounded her.

"_I am your Angel…_

_Come to me: Angel of Music…"_

The rich baritone floated up, seemingly from… under the stage?! Mai blinked. Who was that? She knew that only the people closet to the wreckage would be able to hear… she looked back at Ryou, Bakura, Marik, and Malik. The young orchestra maestro as crying on the shoulder of the taller albino; and the prop master was shaking. Marik pulled him into an embrace, and tears slid down Malik's face. But wait… he didn't look upset at all! In fact, he looked… happy? Relieved? Why would Malik be relieved? Mai peered at them closely, as Ryou turned to face them for a moment. What the…! He looked relieved, too! What was going on?

"Whose is that voice…? Who is that in there…?" Joey demanded, eyes flashing as he tried to pry up the rubble. But the voice seemed to ignore him; continuing.

"_I am your Angel…_

_Come to me: Angel of Music…"_

Then the voice faded, as if it was getting farther away. Farther… farther… gone.

"What was that?" Mai whispered, turning back to Ryou, Malik, Bakura, and Marik.

"Sabine's safe!" Ryou cried, throwing himself onto Bakura again and hugging him in relief.

"How do you know?" Mai snapped in a demanding tone, her own violet eyes burning in anger and frustration. She placed her hands on her hips, and it was then she noticed that the hem of her dress was bordered with dust. A few tears were spotted, and Mai stifled a groan. Would she get punished for ruining stage property?

"Just trust us, please?" Ryou pleaded, widening his eyes. Even Mai couldn't deny those eyes.

"…Alright. But you'd better be right about this," Mai growled, waving her index finger threateningly before running out of the room, intent on Anzu's imminent termination.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**==The Phantom's Lair==**

Sabine's icy sapphire eyes widened. She had never seen anything like this! The boat rocked slightly as Yami steadied it, and Sabine got a good look at things. The boat itself was parked in an underground lake, which was separated from the rest of said lake by a stone wall, and a tunnel with wrought iron gates. Sabine turned her head away from that, and looked to her left. A small flight of stone stairs were in front of her; candles lighting said stairway at the sides. As her eyes traveled up the steps, they came to rest upon a black grand piano (or was it an organ?); which also had some candles on it. It was like one large room, with many elaborate furnishings including a bed, and some mirrors. A Sabine looked up to see Yami smiling at her. Reaching out his black-gloved hand without a word, he proceeded to help Sabine out of the boat. Once he was done that, he started singing a new song. This one was soft, and sweet. ((AN: Again, I advise you to listen to this song on YouTube =D))

"_Night-time sharpens,_

_heightens each sensations…_

_Darkness stirs and_

_Wakes imagination…_

_Silently the senses_

_Abandon their defenses…_

_Slowly, gently_

_Night unfurls its splendor…_

_Grasp it, sense it – _

_Tremulous and tender…_

_Turn your face away_

_From the garnish light of day,_

_Turn your thoughts away_

_From cold, unfeeling light – _

_And listen to_

_The music of the night…"_

Sabine smiled, twirling once into Yami's embrace before they broke apart, proceeding up the stairs. More than anything, Sabine hoped this wasn't a dream. She knew it still could be, and the knowledge scared her. Yami, as if sensing her worry, brought his finger up to his lips and smiled, continuing on with his song.

"_Close your eyes_

_and surrender to your_

_darkest dreams!_

_Purge your thoughts_

_Of the life_

_You knew before!_

_Close you eyes,_

_Let your spirit_

_Start to soar!_

_And you'll live_

_As you've never_

_Lived before…"_ That versed seemed to reach the very depth of Sabine's problems; washing them away without a second thought. The young singer relaxed, her eyes taking on a blissful light.

"_Softly, deftly,_

_music shall surround you…_

_Feel it, hear it,_

_Closing in around you…_

_Open up your mind,_

_Let your fantasies unwind,_

_In this darkness which_

_You know you cannot fight – _

_The darkness of_

_The music of the night…"_ The candles seemed to blur for a moment, and suddenly the room seemed brightly illuminated. Mirrors covered a whole wall; and next to the mirror-covered wall was a small closet-sized crevice. To the right of that was a bed, in front and also to the right of which sat the grand piano itself. ((AN: I can't explain this xD *Has epic vision in head* *Fails at explaining*))

"_Let your mind_

_start a journey through a_

_strange, new world!_

_Leave all thoughts_

_Of the world_

_You knew before!_

_Let your soul_

_Take you where you_

_Long to be!_

_Only then_

_Can you belong_

_To me…_

_Floating, falling,_

_Sweet intoxication!_

_Touch me, trust me,_

_Savor each sensation!_

_Let the dream begin,_

_Let your darer side give in_

_To the power of_

_The music that I write – _

_The power of_

_The music of the night…"_

Sabine opened and closed her mouth. Her senses were all in a blur; whether from the song Yami had just sang, the song they had sang before that, or the fact that she had almost been crushed to death by a chandelier; she didn't know. She suddenly felt herself losing control of her senses, as she closed her eyes and fainted into a blissful darkness.

Yami caught the girl gently, hoisting her tenderly into a bridal hold before moving over to the bed and laying her down.

"_You alone_

_can make my song take flight – _

_help me make the music of the night…"_

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**==The Next Morning==**

"Where is she?" Mai asked, running down the dormitory-like hallways of the Opera Populaire. Sleepy dancers, singers, and general workers moaned from their rooms; clearly annoyed at this rude awakening. "Where is she? Where is Sabine?" Mai was asked no one in particular. When her friend hadn't returned last night…

"Miss Mai?" Mai turned to see one of the new managers, Seto Kaiba, standing in the doorway. "Miss Mai, is there something wrong? If not, I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd stop annoying the hell out of the others," the man said gruffly. Mai narrowed her violet eyes with menace.

"Maybe when you tell me where the hell my friend is…" She clenched her hands into fists at her hips, tilting her head and chin so she looked as if she were looking down at Seto; even though he was over a head taller than she.

"Look, we don't know where your friend is, but we ARE trying to find her," Seto scowled.

"I told you, you don't have to worry about Sabine!" Bakura snapped, walking down the corridor. "She'll be back; unharmed."

"How can you be so sure?" Mai and Seto asked skeptically at the same time.

"Trust me."

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**==The Phantom's Lair==**

Sabine woke to the gentle sound of the piano playing. Her senses had returned to her, and she briefly thought that she'd have to punish them for deserting her in the first place. Traitorous emotions. And why was she here, anyways? For that matter… where was here?

Oh.

The memories of last night came swirling back, and a warmth feeling formed in the center of Sabine's chest, proceeding to spread throughout her body again.

That was why.

"Awake, are we?" Sabine sat up to see Yami smiling at her, from where he had been playing the music Sabine had been hearing. Sabine herself could only nod mutely, still fascinated by all of this. By all that had happened.

"Umm… yes?" She answered, though he was obviously only asking to be polite. He knew the answer.

"Good," Yami laughed, the sound reverberating off the walls. Sabine stood up, sliding off the bed. One thought occurred to her… actually, that was a lie. A million thoughts raced through her mind, as well as the answers to the questions she knew.

'Do I love him? …Yes. Do I know him? … Well, technically yes. He's my Angel, he's been with me for so long... Does this whole thing feel weird? … I'd be insane if it didn't. Are you happy? … Yes.'

Sabine paused. "Why is he down here?"

"I? I am down here because of them." Sabine blushed, realizing she must have uttered these thoughts aloud.

"Them?" She questioned.

"Those who walk above. In fact, up until now, only Bakura, Marik, Ryou, and Malik knew who I was."

"…Bakura, Marik, Malik… You WERE the fifth voice," Sabine said with a grin.

"Ah, you caught me. Yes, yes I was."

"Why? Why can you not exist apart from here?"

Yami got up, moving away from the piano until he was right in front of Sabine. Said girl looked into his crimson eyes, gasping slightly.

"You see? That is why," Yami purred. "They think I am some sort of demon from hell. 'Look at his eyes! The devil must have sent him!'" Yami mimicked. He let out a harsh bout of laughter, and Sabine touched his arm gently.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"It is not your fault; you are not like those above." Yami turned back to face her. Well, actually, since Sabine was rather short he looked down at her, and she back up at him. Slowly, and without further realization, their faces neared. Closer… closer… Sabine could feel her Angel's steady breathing; hear his heartbeat. She reached up, pulling away his mask. Then, there was no more distance. The young singer was caught in a field of bliss as their lips connected, sending shivers throughout her body. A whirlpool of heat also seared through her, warming her to the core. Sabine felt her eyes slide close, and she felt Yami place his hands around her hips to draw her in closer. She complied willingly, pressing up against his chest and moaning at the intense pleasure she could feel. She heard him growl, and her lips part slightly to allow him entrance to her mouth. However, all too soon the need for air became apparent, and they broke apart; each of them gasping for lost oxygen.

"Yami?" Sabine whispered, pushing a slightly damp lock of her brown hair from her face. Yami looked up at her, and Sabine nearly swooned on the spot. Now, she could see his whole face. She could not even describe it; her senses were in such disarray. His eyes were sharp and angled, and his lashes dark. His features were beautiful and noble-looking; Sabine couldn't remember ever seeing a more handsome man. ((AN: *Is in a fail-mood*))

"Come," Yami said suddenly, "we must return – those two fools who run my theatre will be missing you." Sabine smiled at the truth of that and, without further question, she grasped his outstretched hand, and let him lead her back.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cheyenne: OHMYRA OHMYRA OHMYRA I AM SOOOOO SORRY FOR THE LONG DELAY! Seriously, I was in fail-mode, and when I got out of it I sprained two fingers playing Basketball (I swear, those orange, spherical objects hate me. They're probably planning the death of another of my fingers as we speak! Umm… actually, that last thought kind of creeped me out so I'm going to go check the house for Basketballs now…), so even when I got back in non-fail mode, I couldn't even type! By the time I could type again, it was… yesterday. And my dad got mad at me for something, so he kicked me off D:

Also, I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. *flails* I couldn't think of anything else to make it longer, and I hope you're not all mad at me… though I probably deserve it for making ya'll wait this long. *Headdesk*

This is going to be one of the shortest chapters in the whole thing, and for that I apologize. The next chapter will be MUCH longer (I hope)! So yeah… xD

AGAIN! GOMEN GOMEN GOMEN GOMEN!!!!! And I thank those who've been patient with my fail-ness =O

Yami: *Quirks a brow*

Anzu: I-

Cheyenne: NOTHING OUT OF YOU! *Throws a net over, tackles, and drags offstage*

Yami, Bakura, and Marik: *Double over laughing*

Sabine: Oh, you guys are so mean! *Is secretly very amused*

Mai: Bitch deserved it.

Ryou: I wonder what Cheyenne'll do to her…?

Khemet (Cheyenne's yami): Ra, don't ask that, please.

Malik: Evil things?

Khemet: …Evil things.

Yami: *Saunters over to see Cheyenne hoisting Anzu up in the net, so she dangles in said net above the ground*

Pegasus: My word! *Shakes head and walks offstage*

Seto: …We're on a stage? *Looks down* Good heavens!

Cheyenne: *Falls over laughing*

Seto: What?

Cheyenne: You're dialogue. *Walks away*

Seto: …Seriously, WTF.

Joey: That's the Seto we all know and love!

Cheyenne: *Pokes head around corner* Yup. Anyways, thanks again for all you reader's patience, and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!! Seriously. If you don't review, I'll… Umm… Khemet will HUNT YOU DOWN. And stuff. And I'll eat your faces, because I'm mature like that. xD Bye! And enjoy the chapter!


	6. Chapter 5: Prima Donna

Cheyenne: I'M SORRY! I hadn't realized so much time had passed... over three months? *Smashes head into a wall* Oh, god, I am SO, SO sorry!

Khemet: You'd better be, Cheyenne! I'm not letting you abandon this fic.

Seto: Nor am I. This is just too damn amusing.

Cheyenne: Yeah, well, YOUR FACE is amusing.

Seto: -facepalm-

_((Everyone turns to look at Cheyenne.))_

Cheyenne: ...Wut.

Yami: *Materializes* Though I like being paired off with Yugi more, you need to GET WRITING, WOMAN.

Cheyenne: B-But-

Bakura: Now. I'm having fun being a tyrant.

Cheyenne: I'll bet you are.

Marik: He seriously is. Also: What kind of moron mixes yaoi pairings in an OC fic?

Cheyenne: ...Me?

Marik: .

Cheyenne: *Nervous cough* Yes, well... Someone please say the disclaimer?

Khemet: Ever notice how Sabine never appears in these things?

Cheyenne: Shut up.

Ryou: Cheyenne does not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Cheyenne: Thank you. And now... ONWARD (for those who haven't abandoned me. And for those who are waiting for an update of Defiance: I'm working on that next.)

Seto: Finally.

Cheyenne: Also, if you can't tell, I'm having fun making Seto sound like a moron in this fic.

((Remember: Italicized dialogue is singing.))

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pegasus sat in his office, staring at the pieces of paper in his hand with a sour expression. Seto, who was staring at the wall with a thoughtful look, wasn't being very helpful.

"'_Mystery after gala night!'" _Pegasus suddenly sang, throwing the papers across the room in a huff and watching them scatter all around the room. Seto didn't move. _"It says 'Mystery of soprano's flight! Mystified, baffled Sureté says; we are mystified – we suspect foul play!'" _The white-haired man sprang from his chair, pacing around.

"...Pegasus, if I may impose a question...?" Seto suddenly said.

"What?" Came the irritated reply.

"Why the hell are you singing?"

Pegasus opened and closed his mouth before glaring at the brunette, huffing, and ripping one of the newspaper articles in half. The room they were in was average sized. If you were to walk in, you'd see a plain wooden desk. The walls were decorated with dancing portraits, and now there were lovely bits of newspaper all over. Pegasus had gone through a decorating phase, you see.

"_Bad news on soprano scene,"_ Pegasus continued. Seto rolled his eyes.

"Look, I really don't care-"

"_First Anzu now Sabine! Still, at least the seats get sold – gossip's worth its weight in gold."_

"Did you swallow something while I was gone? You're rhyming now! And still singing!" Seto said through narrowed eyes. But Pegasus continued as if Seto hadn't said a word. ((AN: OOC Pegasus. Yippee!))

"_What a way to run a business! Spare me these unending trials! Half your cast disappears, but the crowd still cheers! Opera! To hell with Gluck and Handel – It's a scandal that'll pack them in the aisles!"_

"Okay, seriously. What the hell did you eat? Your dialogue's all messed up, and did I mentioned you're freaking SINGING? No? Well you are!" Seto threw his hands up in the air, shooting an irritated, wary look at the white-haired man. "Did you dip into my private wine stock?" Pegasus' only response was another glare.

"And what's this, anyways?" Seto held up a letter that seemed to be addressed to him.

"Oh, it seems you got one too..." Pegasus said. Seto rolled his eyes.

"No shit." He opened the envelope, taking out a piece of crisp paper and clearing his throat. Pegasus waved him on impatiently.

"On with it!"

"I'm going!" Seto snapped, unfolding the paper. "'Dear Seto: What a charming gala! Sabine enjoyed a great success! We were hardly bereft when Anzu left... or rather, when she was met with that... unfortunate incident. Otherwise, the chorus was entrancing, but the dancing was a lamentable mess!'" Seto finished, frowning. "Who the hell cares?" He muttered. "I'm not the choreographer!"

Pegasus rolled his eyes and lifted a piece of paper from his own pocket. _"'Dear Pegasus just a brief reminder: my salary has not been paid. Send it care of the ghost by return of post - P.T.O.: No-one likes a debtor so it's better if my orders are obeyed!'"_ He added a melodic tinge to it, which made Seto roll his eyes.

"Moron."

"It would have sounded better if you sang yours, too."

"Yeah? Well I'm not a half-wit or a drunk like you see to be right now, so there!"

"Really, Kaiba-boy, there's no need for that."

"How many times have I told you to stop calling me that?"

"...Anyways." Pegasus turned to look back at the letter. "Who would have the gall to send this?"

"They are both signed 'O.G' ..."

"Who the hell is he?" Seto demanded.

They both stood in silence for a moment, Pegasus finally sitting back down in the chair and folding his hands in a professional manner. Suddenly, a light sparked in both their eyes.

"Opera Ghost!" They both declared simultaneously. Seto started to chuckle. Pegasus, however, was not amused in the least.

"It's really not amusing," he said. Seto shrugged.

"He's a funny sort of spectre," the brunette admitted. Pegasus, who was scowled, started to gather up the fallen papers when suddenly the door to the office swung open an and angry Joey Wheeler stepped – no, stormed – in.

"Where is she?" He demanded, honey eyes blazing.

"You mean Anzu?" Seto asked innocently, purposefully needling the blonde. ((AN: No, there will be no Puppyshipping. Seto just likes annoying him.))

"No, I mean Sabine – where is she?" Joey growled, glaring banefully at Seto.

"Well, how should we know?" Pegasus huffed, straightening the papers and stacking them neatly on the desk.

"I want an answer – I take it you sent me this note?" Joey waved a piece of paper in the air, clearly furious and annoyed.

"Let me see that!" Suddenly a hand reached up and swiped the note from Joey's hand.

"Hey!" Joey whirled around to see Bakura standing there, waving the note triumphantly. Marik was just behind him, grinning as his lavender eyes skimmed the creamy piece of stationary.

"Give that back!" Joey lunged towards the two men, who side-stepped and allowed him to crash to the ground. Gracefully, of course.

"Oops?" Bakura offered, smirking.

"Aww, did the great and mighty Joey Wheeler fall down?" Seto joined Bakura in Ye Grand Ol' Department of Smirking.

"Shut up, Kaiba!" Joey picked himself up off the ground and held his hand out to Bakura. "Give it back!"

"Make me!"

"Alright, I will!"

"You won't do it." Bakura said knowingly.

"Oh yeah?" Joey suddenly lunged, reaching for the note. He abruptly felt restraining hands on his arms and turned to see Seto holding him back. Bakura danced just out of Joey's reach, a taunting expression scrawled all over his face.

"What's all this nonsense?" Pegasus fumed.

"And of course we didn't send you that note!" Seto sniffed.

"Don't look at us," Pegasus protested.

"She's not with you, then?" Joey asked, abandoning the note to its fate at the hands of Bakura and Marik. He looked disbelievingly at the two managers.

"Of course not!" Pegasus replied.

"We're in the dark, so to speak," Seto grumbled.

"Don't argue – Isn't this the letter you wrote?" Joey clumsily gestured to the note that Bakura had stolen.

"And what is it, that we're meant to have wrote?" Pegasus asked dryly. He paused for a moment. "Written!" He corrected himself.

"Smart," Seto said with an eye roll.

"Shut up!"

Joey, who had finally managed to tackle the note away from Bakura, handed it over to Seto, who read it aloud.

"'Do not fear for Miss Languisto. The Angel of Music has her under his wing. Make no attempt to see her again.'" Seto finished clearly.

"If you don't stop frowning, you're going to grow old," Marik chimed in. Seto sent a scathing look his way. The prop master merely grinned. Joey was visibly fuming.

"Ha! I know who this so-called Ghost is, it's that stranger from last night!" He declared heatedly. Bakura suddenly stepped in front of him.

"You think so, Monsieur?" The albino said coldly. "You make such accusations, yet you have no proof! Me thinks you're just jealous. Did a certain someone get to the Lady Sabine before you could?" He added with a purr at seeing Joey's beyond enraged expression.

"Proof? Did you see the way they were eyeing each other? It's obvious it was him!" Joey sputtered. Bakura clapped his hands together.

"Ah, do you ARE jealous!" The répétiteur replied smugly. "I knew it!"

"I am NOT jealous!" Joey cried.

"What's this about being jealous?" Marik piped up, though he obviously knew.

"Well, you see, Joey here likes-"

"WHERE IS HE?" Bakura was cut off as Anzu suddenly cried out, stomping forward and shoving her way into the room. She was wearing a yellow dress, complete with frills and ruffles.

"Ah, welcome back!" Seto said, though he clearly didn't mean it at all. In fact, he now looked even more put out, if that was even humanly possible.

"Your precious patron – where is he?" Anzu demanded, waving yet ANOTHER letter in the air. ((AN: Now, now, I'm sure the Phantom DOES have other things to do rather than writing letters to every person in the Opera house...

Bakura: I'm sure.

Yami: Shut up, thief!

Marik: Are you aware that this is possibly your only appearance in this Chapter, Pharaoh?

Yami: Wait, what? CHEYENNE!

Cheyenne: Well, umm, you see... You'll have to see for yourself! *Suddenly stops the author note so her angry characters can't kill her*))

"What is it NOW?" Joey grumbled.

"Hey, you're the one who started this whole Barging-Into-Our-Office-Waving-Around-Letters-Claiming-We-Wrote-Them shit," Seto snapped at Joey, who scowled back.

"Well excuuuuuuusssse me, pri-" Joey began, but was then cut off by Anzu.

"I have your letter – a letter which I rather resent!" The lead soprano hissed. Pegasus turned to Joey.

"And did YOU send it?" He asked.

"Of course not!" Joey replied.

"Okay, can everyone PLEASE stop saying 'Of course not'?" Seto growled.

"Of course not!" Bakura and Marik chimed in. Seto glared at them. But, then again, he was feeling rather glare-y today.

((AN: Shut up! It is SO a word!

Seto: Is not!

Cheyenne: It must be if I wrote it!

Seto: ...

Cheyenne: Oh, and by the way, a lot of this stuff was supposed to be sung (so sue me), but I think it would be better for you all if most of it is just written/spoken xD))

"What's going on?" Pegasus clutched his head at the utter mayhem of this scene.

"_You dare to tell me, that this is not the letter you sent?!" _Anzu was singing now, so angry was she.

"And what is it that I'm meant to have sent?" Joey followed suite, taking the letter and beginning to read it.

"'_Your days at the Opera Populaire are numbered. Sabine Languisto will be singing on your behalf tonight. Be prepared for a great misfortune should you attempt to take her place!'" _Joey read.

"_Far too many notes for my taste,"_ Seto and Pegasus said at the same time. _"And most of them about Sabine! All we've heard since we came is her name!"_

"Why the hell are we all singing, again?" Seto asked, and was ignored.

"_Miss Languisto has returned!"_ Madame Giry called, joining them. Since the room was becoming rather crowded, they all moved towards the main hall.

"_I trust her midnight oil is well and truly burned,"_ Pegasus commented dryly.

"Where precisely is she now?" Seto refused to sing.

"I thought it best that she went home," Madame Giry explained.

"She needed rest," Mai said, coming up behind her mother.

"May I see her?" Joey asked anxiously.

"No, sir. She will see no one." Was Madame Giry's reply.

"_Will she sing? Will she sing?" _Anzu demanded.

"Here, I have a note!" Madame Giry pulled said note out of her pocket.

((AN: ...

Bakura: You have a lot of free time, don't you.

Yami: Shut up!))

"_Let me see it!"_ Anzu, Joey, and Seto all said at the same time – or rather, Joey and Anzu sang while Seto spoke.

Pegasus snatched the letter. "Please!" He cleared his throat. "'Gentlemen, I have now sent you several notes of most amiable nature, detailing how my theatre is to be run. You have not followed my instructions. I shall give you one last chance.'" Pegasus paused, frowning.

"'Sabine Languisto has returned to you, and I am anxious her career should progress. In the new production of "Il Muto", you will therefore cast Anzu as the pageboy, and Sabine in the role of the Countess. The role which Sabine plays calls for charm and appeal. The role of the pageboy is silent - which has made my casting, in a word, ideal. I shall watch the performance from my normal seat in Box Five, which will be kept empty for me. I remain, gentlemen, your obedient servant, O.G."

"_Sabine!"_ Anzu suddenly sang in a trilling soprano.

"_Whatever next?"_ Seto, who had apparently stopped trying to fight the retarded singing fad, sighed.

"_It's all a ploy to help Sabine!"_ Anzu continued.

"This is insane," came from Pegasus.

"I know who sent this: The Vicomte – her lover!" Anzu pointed an accusing finger at Joey.

"I beg your pardon? I am NOT her lover!" Joey sputtered.

"Yeah, he only wishes!" Bakura smirked.

"Can you believe this?" Tristan suddenly appeared, face flushed and red.

"This is a joke!" Pegasus said.

"Thing changes nothing!" Seto shouted.

Anzu merely pressed her hand to her forehead and randomly started saying things in Spanish... or Italian... or something. "O mentitori!" ((AN: Here she's pretty much calling them liars.))

"Signora!" Yep, Italian.

"You're our star!" Pegasus continued.

"And always will be!" Tristan said firmly.

"We don't take orders!" Seto declared.

"Sabine will be playing the role of the pageboy – the silent role." Pegasus said soothingly.

"_It's useless trying to appease me! You're only saying this to please me! __Signori, è vero? Non, non, non voglio udire! Lasciatemi morire! __O padre mio! Dio!"_ ((AN: Because I don't know Italian, I have used a translator. Roughly translated, Anzu said: "Mister, is true? Not, do not, I do not want to hear! Lasciatemi die! Or father mine! God!" Yeah, I know, kind of confusing, eh? But still. I think you get the gist of it all.))

"Who scorn his word, beware to those..." Madame Giry said.

Anzu turned to the managers with fire in her eyes. _"You have reviled me!"_

"_The angel sees, the angel knows..."_ Continued Madame Giry. Joey was muttering to himself, and Seto was busy contemplating how the hell Anzu knew Italian in the first place.

"_You have rebuked me!"_ Anzu continued shrilly.

"Signora, pardon us..." Pegasus lamented.

"Speak for yourself," Seto said, which earned him a glare from his fellow manager. He ignored it, resuming his train of thought which now was: WHY, exactly, was Pegasus trying to keep Anzu here?

"_You have replaced me!"_ Anzu continued.

"_Please, Signora, we beseech you..."_ Pegasus said.

Madame Giry looked at them all. _"The hour shall see your darkest fears..."_

"Wanna know what my darkest fear is?" Bakura cut in. "Her singing!" He pointed to Anzu, who was glaring at him. Mai laughed, and Marik grinned.

"_Abbandonata! Deseredata! O, sventurata!"_ ((AN: Roughly translated: "Left! Deseredata! O, unlucky!")) Anzu continued dramatically, fluttering her hand around.

"_The angel knows, the angel hears..."_ Madame Giry was softly singing.

"Where did she go...?" Joey mumbled.

"We told you, she was at home." Mai replied.

"Is everyone in this room insane?" Seto rubbed his temples, not making any sense of all this overlapping conversation. "PLEASE STOP TALKING/SINGING ALL AT ONCE!" He shouted, with no avail.

"_Abbandonata! Disgraziata!" _((AN: RT: "Left! Wretch!"))

"Okay, how the hell do you know Italian?" Seto demanded. Anzu ignored him. Suddenly, everyone stopped talking at once, all looking over to Anzu. Pegasus and Tristan had stepped up.

((AN: For this part it's supposed to be Seto and Pegasus singing to Anzu, but as you can see, Seto couldn't care less if she left, and he has an irrational hatred for singing. So... yeah.))

"_Your public needs you!"_ Tristan began.

"_We need you, too!"_ Pegasus continued.

"Would you not rather have your precious little ingénue?" Anzu snapped.

Both Tristan and Pegasus sang at the same time: _"Signora, no! The world wants _you_!"_

((AN: Alright. Umm... this is where the song Prima Donna starts. Feel free to listen to it on YouTube! I know I'm listening to it on my iPhone. The movie version doesn't have a lot of the side characters singing in the background, but I still like it xD))

Both Pegasus and Tristan continued again. _"Prima donna, first lady of the stage! Your devotees are on their knees to implore you!" _They started moving off, Anzu wearing a smug smile the whole time... unaware of the eyes of a certain Opera Ghost.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yami watched from the alcoves and many shadowed areas of the opera house as Tristan and Pegasus escorted Anzu around. His crimson eyes were narrowed, and his fists were clenched. How dare they disobey his orders?

"_Can you bow out when they're shouting your name?"_ Pegasus sang.

Yes, Yami thought, usually followed by a "Get off the stage!" Okay, that was a lie, but still.

He chuckled anyways.

"_Think of how they all adore you!"_ Tristan continued. Then they both started singing again.

"_Prima donna, enchant us once again!"_

"_Think of your muse..."_

"_And of the queues around the theatre!"_ Pegasus sang as a bunch of Anzu's attendants came to fawn and fuss around her.

"_Can you deny us the triumph in store?"_ Yami rolled his eyes as the one manager and the lead male continued. Yes, actually. The triumph of shattering glass. _"Sing, Prima donna, once more!"_

Oh, just shut up! Was Yami's only thought. The manager and the lead male sauntered off with Anzu as the lead soprano registered her acceptance.

"_Sabine spoke of an Angel..."_ Joey frowned. Yami smirked at this. Ah, yes... so this was Joey Wheeler. Yami was then just in time to hear Anzu start trilling to herself in triumph.

"_Prima donna, your song shall live again!"_ She sang.

"_Think of your public!"_ The two other men replied.

"_You took a snub but the public needs you!"_ Anzu sang as she ascended some stairs, looking down her nose at those below.

Madame Giry blinked and sang, obviously referring to Sabine as she did so: _"She has heard the voice of the Angel of Music..."_

Said angel was currently leaning against a wooden support beam, watching them all silently.

"_Those who hear your voice liken you to an angel!"_ Pegasus and Tristan continued.

"_Think of their cry of undying support!"_ Anzu sang.

"_Is this her angel of music...?"_ Joey sang softly.

Seto looked up to Pegasus. _"We get our Opera!"_ He sang.

"_She gets her limelight!"_ Pegasus returned, gesturing to Anzu.

"_Follow where the limelight leads you!"_ Anzu continued smugly at the same time as the two managers.

"_Is this ghost an angel or a madman?"_ Mai was simultaneously singing. Yami bristled. I'm not a madman, he was thinking.

"_Angel or madman...?"_ Joey echoed.

Oh, that's it, you're so getting a backdrop! ((AN: *Wanted desperately to put "Mind Crush" there. Explanation: Yami likes dropping backdrops on people who annoy him. LET THIS BE A WARNING TO YOU ALL!)) Yami thought smugly, glaring down heatedly at Joey. At the same time as all of this, Seto and Pegasus were singing:

"_Leading ladies are a trial!"_ While Anzu sang her own little part, clearly not acknowledging anyone else.

"_Prima donna your song shall never die!"_ She said, almost happily.

"_Voice of hell, or of heaven...?"_ Mai sighed. Yami glared at her. He would refrain from anything drastic, simply because she was Sabine's friend.

"_Heaven help you, those who don't..."_ Madame Giry placed a hand on Mai's shoulder as they looked up.

Pegasus and Tristan had currently hoisted Anzu into a chair and were walking down a hallway. The others quickly scurried after them, everyone still singing.

"Orders! Warnings! Lunatic demands!" Joey raged. Yami sniffed disdainfully as he followed them from above.

"_This miscasting will invite damnation..."_ Madame Giry sighed. Yami paused at that. While he would never intentionally cause someone harm, he wasn't above scaring them shitless.

"_Tears...oaths...lunatic demands are a regular occurrence!"_ Pegasus and Seto sang. Seto was looking disgruntled at all the singing, but he did it anyways.

"_Think how you'll shine in that final encore! Sing, prima donna, once more!"_ Anzu continued to sing as she was carried down the hallway in that elaborate chair, an army of attendees following behind. Other Opera Populaire dwellers were looking over the railings, some in costumes, some not; some pointing and others laughing. Still, the procession moved on.

"Oh fools, to have flouted his warning!" Madame Giry cried.

"Surely, for her sake..." Joey trailed off.

Mai slapped her fist into her palm, glaring up at the ceiling. "Surely he'll fight back!" He'd better, she added to herself, looking for the seemingly invisible Phantom.

"_Surely there'll be further scenes – worse than this!"_ Pegasus and Seto continued on, though Seto hung back a little watching Pegasus and Tristan struggling with holding up the chair.

"Think, before these demands are rejected!" Giry cried. Damn straight, Yami thought in reply.

"... I must see these demands are rejected!" Joey decided. Fool, was Yami's silent comment. Mai glared at him.

"You're a moron," she stated simply. Agreed, Yami related gleefully.

"_Who'd believe a diva happy to replace a chorus girl, who's gone and slept with the patron?"_ Joey and Yami were equally outraged at that.

"Now, look here, we're not even-" Joey began.

"-They're just friends!" Mai finished simply, picking up a discarded ballet shoe and chucking it at Pegasus and Tristan. It hit Tristan in the back of the head. "You should talk, you're sleeping with Anzu!" Mai crowed in victory at Tristan's sour look. "Besides, Joey only WISHES he'd-"

"Shut up, Mai!" Joey hissed. Mai just smirked. ((AN: Okay, this scene's a little confusing due to overlapping singing, BUT... OWELL.)) Yami watched this all with amusement. Wait... where the hell did Bakura and Marik go? Oh, there they were... wait... what were they doing with that rope...?

"_O, fortunata! Non ancor abbandonagta!"_ ((AN: I'm just going to stop translating things. They make no sense.)) Anzu sang, lounging on the luxurious chair as Pegasus and Tristan floundered beneath it, a smirking Seto on the sidelines.

"_You'd never get away with all this in play, but if it's loudly sung and in a foreign tongue, it's just the sort of story audiences adore, in fact a perfect Opera!"_ Seto and Pegasus sang complacently.

"His game is over!" Joey laughed.

"This is a game you cannot hope to win!" Giry cried.

"And in box five a new game will begin," Joey said. Mai hit him over the back of the head with another shoe.

"Ouch!" Joey complained. "What was that for?" Mai just glared at him, hands on her hips as they moved. Finally they came to the stage, where all other cast members were staring at them in bewilderment.

"_Prima donna, the world is at your feet! A nation waits, and how it hates to be cheated!"_ The two managers continued. Anzu, by now, had been gracefully lifted off the chair and was now enjoying even more stage hands fussing around her; replacing her yellow dress with a full-skirted pink one; complete with an elaborate string of pearls and over-the-top hairstyle.

I think she's the tallest person in that group with that monstrosity atop her head! Yami laughed to himself, though he was getting more infuriated by the manager's insolence at every passing second.

"_The stress that falls upon a famous prima donna! Terrible diseases, coughs and colds and sneezes! Still, the driest throat will reach the highest note, in search of a perfect opera!"_ Anzu declared as the final strings on the back of her dress were tied. She then slipped her feet into two matching pink slippers.

Is it just me, or is this song not making any sense? Yami mused. Unbeknownst to him, Seto, Joey, and Mai were thinking the exact same time.

Oh, and Marik and Bakura. But he was afraid to look at what they were up to.

"I fear the outcome," Mai suddenly said, referring to the manager's decision.

"Sabine plays the pageboy, Anzu plays the Countess..." Joey said with a frown. He flailed his hands around, the tail-like things on his green overcoat flapping a little. Mai poked him and whistled innocently. Joey glared at her.

Suddenly, all the stage members except Bakura, Marik, Joey, Mai, and Madame Giry started singing. Oh, and Anzu, but she was busy preening herself, thank you.

Men and woman, many of them wearing powdered wigs such as Anzu's and white, elaborate outfits starting trilling along with the managers. Other stage hands, some who were dangling from the ceiling, suspended by ropes, joined in.

"_Light up the stage with that age-old rapport! Sing, Prima donna, once more!" _Everyone except the aforementioned five harmonized.

"So, it is to be war between us!" Yami suddenly spoke up, his voice reverberating around the main theatre room. Those on the stage all stood with their arms out, but upon hearing his voice, they quickly looked around fearfully. Mai was busy smirking again, while Joey was grimacing and looking angrily around.

Ah, good, Yami thought. Let him try and catch me! "If these demands are not met, a disaster beyond your imagination will occur!" He cried out. Most of the cast members and stage people ignored him, merely taking another breath and belting out two final words. Words that would seal the fate of the entire Opera Populaire.

"_Once more!"_

It would have been such a grand flourish, if at that moment Anzu hadn't decided to take a dramatic step forward. For Bakura and Marik, clearly bored and with ringing ears, had placed a simple noose on the place in which the lead soprano stepped. With a scream, Anzu was hoisted up in the air, suspended upside-down as her dress flipped, exposing her drawers. Yami's laughter rang from the theatre walls. Mai and Joey both hooted with elation, while Bakura and Marik high-fived each other on a job well done. Then, the two partners in crime, ignoring Ryou and Malik (who had come from behind the stage to see what was going on), opened their mouths, and with a note of finality, declared:

"_Once more!"_

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cheyenne: Aha, and we come to the end of chapter... 5, is it? Yes, five. Whee! Once again, I am SO sorry for the long delay. (Also, I apologize for the utter mayhem of this chapter. I think I listened to the song 6 billion times trying to not get confused... but it didn't really work. So yeah. Again, I am sorry.) And lo and behold, Anzu has once again found herself victim of a net! I think this is beginning to get symbolic. Another thing I will apologize for is the errors I may have missed reading over this thing. I can NEVER seem to get them all when I write long chapters... and speaking of long chapters, this one was, like, 5,000 words long! Aren't you all proud of me? *Preens*

Khemet: *Dryly* Oh, yes. Very proud, Cheyenne. *Sighs in exasperation and continues on* She also apologizes for the Italian-stuff that didn't translate very well. But, you can actually get the gist of what she's saying. Most of the time.

Cheyenne: I think they were better off without the translations .

Khemet: They probably were.

Cheyenne: OWELL THEY CAN BE CONFUSED NOW.

Khemet: You're nice.

Cheyenne: Aren't I?

Joey: You totally messed up my character.

Cheyenne: Pfffffftttt.... yeah.

Joey: *Glares*

Cheyenne: You'll be back in character during the next chapter, I promise! D:

Seto: And me? I'm a total jerk-ish moron!

Cheyenne: I know. I left you in character.

Seto: Why you- *Is restrained by a laughing Bakura and Marik*

Bakura: You got burned.

Seto: Grr...

Both insane yamis: Once more!

Yami: Shut up, will you? And that didn't even make sense!

Ryou and Malik: BAKURA/MARIK!

Khemet: Shouldn't Sabine be here?

Cheyenne: NO SHE IS AWAY RIGHT NOW.

Khemet: Moron.

Cheyenne: Shut up.

Pegasus: What about MY character?

Cheyenne: I never really paid attention to your character, actually.

Pegasus: ...

Cheyenne: I just wrote you in a way that would benefit this retarded story of mine somewhat.

Pegasus: I hate you.

Cheyenne: Join the club. *Points to the "Story Characters Against Cheyenne" club members, who are all holding a banner. Club members include most cast members of this story.*

Pegasus: That totally defeats the purpose of-

Cheyenne: NO ONE CARES RAWR |O

Pegasus: No one cares about YOU!

Cheyenne: ... That made me sad. ;__; Yami...?

Yami: *Sighs and Mind Crushes Pegasus*

Cheyenne: *Smiles* Thank you! Anyways: PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! PLEASE? Reviews make me happy. Happiness is love and love is happiness and happiness is goodness and goodness is-

Khemet: YOU'RE SCARRING OUR BRAINS WITH YOUR RUN-ON SENTENCES AND UNGRAMMATICALNESS!

Cheyenne: *Whimpers* Please read and review? If you do, I'll give you a rubber chicken!

Khemet: ... Excuse me?

Cheyenne: You heard me.

Khemet: Yes, but... a RUBBER CHICKEN?

Cheyenne: You have a better idea?

Khemet: How about a cookie?

Cheyenne: Too unoriginal.

Khemet: A snickerdoodle?

Cheyenne: Artemis raided my supply for her own story.

Khemet: A cake?

Cheyenne: THE CAKE IS A LIE.

Khemet: -facepalm- FINE. You win.

Cheyenne: Yay! So if you read and review, you get a rubber chicken!

Thanks for reading in the first place!

((To all Defiance readers: I'll update that next!))

Until the next chapter update, then!

THANK YOU!

And yes, no one here seems to be smart enough to make up comebacks better than "Shut up."

And before you ask: Yes, that includes Seto.

Seto: *Hits Cheyenne with a rubber chicken*

Cheyenne: *Rubs head* ... And me.

Seto: That's better.

Cheyenne: Also, I wrote this whole thing in two days! ZONGZ!

Khemet: .Chapter.

Cheyenne: *Hides* Bye! *Waves*


End file.
